Lost Relic or Lost Love?
by Ana the Romantic
Summary: Alex is an outcast, and has been for as long as she can remember. Can the game of duel monsters help her find her first friends and maybe her first love? YugiOC YamiOC Chapter 14 up!
1. New Beginning

A/N:  Hey!  What's up everyone?  Nothing much here.  I've decided on doing a Yu-Gi-Oh fiction, but I don't know every detail, so bear with me.  One day I just decided to draw my own yu-gi-oh character with Yugi, and loll and behold there was an idea for a fiction.  And of course it is a romance fiction, sorry no Tèa.  Yugi/ OC and Yami/OC, maybe some M/J if I can fit it in there.  Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer:  I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, or the characters of the game or anime.  I only own the plot line and my characters.  Mainly Alex, Amunet and Neit.  J

Lost Relic or Lost Love?

            Alex was a normal sixteen-year-old girl, although that is how most stories start out.  Except that this is not like most stories, and Alex is not like most girls.  Instead of growing up in a family with brothers or sisters, Alex grew up in a family of two, consisting of only her and her mother.  Ever since she was young all she knew was how to live on her wits, and never trust anyone except her mother.  'Sooner or later they will leave you,' her mother always used to say, 'There is no use in starting friendships.'  Even with her mother's saying burning in the back of her mind, she tried to find friends in school.  But to no avail.  Everyone saw her differently, and called her names.  She couldn't find anyone.

            She eventually gave up on her search for a friend and stayed to herself.  She kept up in school, and tried to make something of herself . . . even if she didn't have anyone behind her.  She made it all the way through grammar school, middle school and is now in her second year in high school.  One of the only things that kept her going was reminding herself that next year is her second to last year and then in her senior year she would finally be free from the rest of the other students.

One day she was walking home from high school and two other girls from school followed her, taunted her.  "Hey Lucy, look who it is"

            "Oh, if it isn't little Miss 'I don't need anyone else but my mommy'."

            Alex continued walking, ignoring the girls behind her.  "Hey, stop and turn to us when were talking to you," one of the girls pushed at her back.  Alex turned toward her, "Oops, my bad.  We were talking about you, not to you."  Both girls started laughing at her.  "Buzz off, cheerleaders," Alex said coldly as she turned back around and started walking again.  "At least we wear something different each day.  I mean blue cargo pants with a black tube top under that ragged denim vest.  The clothes don't even go with your hair."

"And speaking of your hair.  Come on, brown hair with streaks of black, and the tips of your hair black.  I mean, please, find something else.  At least we have style!" they yelled at her back trying to catch up to her.

            "Yeah, if you call those sluty looks stylish," Alex said.

            "Hey what did you say?"  One girl knocked her into a chain link fence.  Alex kept her mouth shut and just stared at the other girl through her mahogany eyes.  "I think that you should just keep your mouth shut," the girl said leaning on the fence to the side of Alex.

            "Sounds like you should take your own advice," Alex said to her.  Alex has hit on the side of her face and she fell to the ground.  "Don't ever cross us again.  Be glad that it just turned winter break, because if we saw you at school tomorrow, you would be hurting even more."  The two girls walked off leaving Alex on the ground.  Alex wiped some spit off her lip; she was built tough enough so that she wouldn't bleed on the first hit.  "Stupid blonds," Alex mumbled as she got up.  She felt something under her hand and looked down at it.  It was a card, "Huh, this must be one of those Duel monster cards that they're talking about at school.  Pretty nice."  She stared at the card, "Silverfang, nice looking wolf."  She picked up the card, looked around and didn't see anyone around.  She shrugged her shoulders and pocketed the card.

***

            Alex opened her front door and walked in.  "Alex that you?"

            "Yeah mom, it's me.  Sorry I'm late, I kind of ran into trouble," she walked into the kitchen where her mother had just started on dinner.  "What kind of trouble this time?"

            "Oh, you know, the normal dumb blond type of trouble."

            "Again?"

            "Yup," she walked over to her mom and stuck her finger in the semi-warm pot of sauce and popped it in her mouth.  "Alex, I just finished that!"

            "Hey, my fingers are clean," she smiled at her mother and walked into the next room.  "Have you decided on what you want for Christmas yet, Alex?"

            "Not really," Alex felt something poking her side and took out the card she picked up earlier, "But, now that I think of it, I would like to start to collect Duel Monster cards."

            "What are those?"

            "They're a card game.  I found a card earlier today, it looks pretty interesting."

            "Alright.  I'll look into it," her mother continued with her cooking as Alex watched the television.  Alex's mother never had any problem with supporting her and her daughter, but they never moved from their two-room apartment.  Ever since Alex's father left, her mother never really trusted anyone other then her daughter, making their bond unbreakable.  After dinner Alex went to her bedroom and started playing Mortal Combat against the computer.

            The few days left before Christmas passed by quickly and before she knew it Alex woke up as the sun rose through her window and shone on her face.  She jumped out of her bed and ran into the den toward the tree.  Her mother was already sitting by the side of the tree, "Merry Christmas!"  Alex's eyes started to glow and ran over to hug her mother.  "Here is your gift, mom," Alex handed her mother a medium sized box and her mother started opening it immediately.  She took out a white teddy bear with angle wings and a gold halo.  "It's so cute!  Thank you!"

            Alex smiled and started to open her gift by the tree.  She opened the pretty big sized box and found two smaller boxes inside.  She opened one and found a starter dueling deck with a few booster packs.  "Thank you mom!"

            "That isn't all, Alex.  Open the other box."  She picked up the other box and opened it up.  She moved the tissue paper from around the piece of what looked like gold.  Inside the nest of tissue paper there was a medium sized bracelet of gold, "Wow.  Mom, what is this?"

            "It was my father's.  Since he didn't have any sons, he gave this to me.  He says it's been in our family for quite a while."  Alex looked at it closely.  It had a large eye in the middle with four dots surrounding it.  "It looks Egyptian," Alex clasped the bracelet on her left wrist.  "It is so cool, thanks mom," she gave her mom another hug and decided to go and start to set up her first deck.

***

            The more weeks that went by the more skill Alex obtained in the game of Duel Monsters.  Soon enough she was the top player at her school, and then after a short duel in her city, she was proclaimed the top duelist in her county.  It was so weird to Alex to duel at times.  Sometimes she feels as if someone else is there, behind her, guiding her arm.  Then as soon as she thinks of it, she dismisses it.  She never thought about it as much these days, until one day after school.

            It was another Valentines Day that passed Alex by without a single card or smile from her classmates.  Some of the other duelists would look up at her and maybe nod their head at her, which was more then Alex would ever expect from anyone at her school.

            She walked home alone, as usual.  As she passed through the parking lot she saw one of the girls that usually bugged her sitting on the bumper of a car with her boyfriend.  She snorted at the two, as the boy started to lean over a whisper things into the girl's ear.  Soon enough Alex could hear a small yell from the girl a few feet behind her.  She turned around and saw the young boy standing over the girl on the ground.  "Hey, get away from her!"  Alex ran toward the two.

            "This isn't any of your business."

            "It doesn't matter.  You should know better then to treat a girl, **_any_** girl, like that."

            "Don't even," he raised his fist at her, but she stopped his hand before it hit her face.  She twisted his hand so that he was almost on his knees.  "No, you shouldn't have even started."  She let go of his hand and he crawled toward his car and drove off.

            Alex looked down at the girl on the ground, "Why did you do that?"

            "You know," Alex said reaching out her hand to the girl, "I don't really know."  The girl looked at Alex's hand and got up by herself.  "Well, I didn't need your help.  Now if you don't mind I have to go home."  Alex watched as she walked the opposite way, "You're Welcome," she said sarcastically and walked home.

             At home, Alex threw down her bag and went into the kitchen, "Hey mom, I'm home!"  No one answered in the apartment.  "Mom?"  Alex walked around the apartment, looking into each room.  Alex's mother usually came home before she would, but if she was going to stay late she would leave a note.  But no such note was anywhere to be seen.

            After a complete search of the apartment she entered the den to call on the portable phone, but found something she didn't expect.  There was a man in a dark cloak sitting on the loveseat.  "Hello," he stood up and held out his hand toward Alex, "Alex isn't it?"

            "Who are you?" Alex asked still keeping the same amount of space between her and the strange man.  The man let out a small chuckle and put down his hand, "Um, let's just say that I'm a very big fan of yours."

            "Look, I don't know who you are, or why you're here, but I want you gone."

            "All I want is a duel, Alex."

            "A duel?" Alex narrowed her eyes at the man, "That's it?"

            "For a cost that is."

            "And what cost is that?"

            "The bracelet on your wrist," he pointed to her left arm where there was the bracelet that her mother gave her only a few months earlier.  "No way, my mother gave this to me, and I'm not going to give it to you."

            "Alright, then maybe we will just bet your mother."

            "What?"

            "Since you decided not to bet the bracelet then we will bet your mother."

            "Wait, I never said that!"

            "Too late . . . Let's Duel!"

            "When I win, I get my mother back, right?"

            "A little sure of ourselves aren't we?"

            "Just answer-"

            "Yes, you will get her back.  We both start with one thousand life points, agreed?"

            "Agreed, let's duel."  They set up a small area and the man gave her a dueling disk.  "What is this?"

            "It is what we are dueling with.  Now I'll go first."

            "Whatever happened to Ladies first?"  

            * A/N:  I don't know the complete rules of duel monsters myself; I'm still trying to learn, so I'm just going off the television show, K?  Thanks! *

He threw out his disk to reveal his first card.  "I call the Man-Eating Treasure Chest 1600/ 1000 in attack mode!"

"Very nice.  Sixteen hundred attack points."

"And it ends my turn."

"All right then," Alex drew her first cards, 'Let's see what I got here.'  She looks in her hand and saw three monsters and two magic cards staring back at her.  "I play Sorcerer of the Doomed 1450/1200 in attack mode, with one magic card face down."

"Now, it's my turn," the man drew a card and a smirk formed on his face.  "I play Witty Phantom 1400/1300 in attack mode with one card face down."

'I don't like the look of this,' Alex watched his smirk grow.  "And I attack with Man-Eating Treasure Chest against your Sorcerer of the Doomed."

"Not so fast!" Alex turned over her magic card, "The magic card I had was Book of the Secret Arts which raises my Sorcerer's attack and defense by three hundred.  1750/1500 Meaning that your Treasure Chest is destroyed."  The man's points went down to eight hundred and fifty.

"Well, I better get into gear," his smirk still didn't come off his face, and it worried Alex.  'Be careful, Alex,' something kept telling her in the back of her mind, 'There is more to risk here then in any tournament you have been to.'  Alex nodded to herself and drew another card.  She looked at the new card, 'Dark Hole.  Might be useful, I can use it now to get rid of that face down card, but I don't want to waste it.'  "I call the Trap Master and I use the flip effect to destroy that trap card connected to your Witty Phantom."

The duel continued hard into the night.  Each one playing their hardest, until each only had a hundred life points each.  "So what is your next move?" Alex asked the man.  He drew his card and looked over at her play on the field.  Mystical Elf 800/2000 in Defense mode and Wall of Illusion  1000/1850.  He looked at his weak monster in defense mode, Souls of the Forgotten 900/200.  Then a smile grew on his face as he picked a card from his hand, "I play this monster card in attack mode and take out your defense monster."

"No way!  Not the Summoned Skull!"

"Your last defense is gone, and the next turn is your last.  Since you already used your Dark Hole the last turn, you have nothing to use to beat me.  Give up."

"I never back away from a fight."  Alex picked up another magic card and laid it down.  "I play Yami the magic card."

"That won't save you, girl."

"What do you mean?"

"Did you count wrong?"  Alex looked at the card, and then saw that she did.  It was the wrong card, she played the wrong card.  And she couldn't recall it.  "Your time is now!"  The man brought back his disk and threw it back out.  "Summoned Skull, finish her Wall of Illusion!"

"NO!"

It was over.  There was nothing more that she could do.  She fell to her knees and stared at the ground.  "I lost . . . I can't believe I lost . . ."

"This time you lost more then just a duel, Alex."

"Please . . . Don't take her, she's all I have . . . No, please . . ." Tears were starting to come down her cheeks as she looked up at the man.  "You knew the risks.  This time you've lost everything that you love."  And with that he dissapeard.  'You should have given me the bracelet,' Alex fell the rest of the way to the ground and curled into a ball and could do nothing but cry for her lost loved one.

A/N: How'd I do?  Good . . . Bad?  R/r please.  First Yu-Gi-Oh fic and first chapter.  I hope I didn't screw up the duel too badly.  Sorry if I did.  REVIEW!!!! Thanks! J


	2. Only One

Chapter 2- Only One

Alex moped around the school the next few days and weeks, not focusing on anything anymore.  Rumors started to spread, and she didn't care.  Many social workers came to check on her, but she always pretended not to be home, because soon enough they would send her away.  To a new, so called family.  But what would they be taking her away from?

She has nothing to be taken from, but the only home she has known, and the memories stored away in the walls of the empty apartment.  She couldn't stand it much longer, but she strived to keep going on.  Alone, because she couldn't win one lousy duel.  'It's all my fault she's gone,' she would keep telling herself.

'You can't keep beating yourself up about it.  It wasn't your fault.  I should have helped you much more then what I did.  I failed you.'  It was that voice again.  Popping in every once in a while, comforting Alex, but not even she could figure out where it was coming from.  But in some way she wasn't afraid of it, and she didn't want it to go away, she wanted it to stay and keep comforting her in her time of need.  Maybe she was going crazy, but that voice felt like another person, and maybe that other person is the only one that she could trust in this time of need.  Where her once great duo containing of her and her mother had broken apart, there was another presence.  And for the first time in her life, Alex was able to trust in another once again, even if it was just her imagination.

When walking to school, Alex actually had a smile on her face.  She had found something as a driving force to help her get up in the morning and keep up in school.  Even though she never really heard the voice unless she was feeling really down, she was happy that there was something or someone behind her, with her.  And she had her suspicions about where it came from, but nothing stood out to her more then the bracelet on her wrist.  Ever since she put the bracelet on, she had always felt the presence of something or someone else with her, and it helped her through knowing she wasn't alone.

Over the last weeks Alex had continued with her duels, vowing never to lose again and to find the monster that took her mother away from her.  She also started to study Egyptian history, names, places and people.  She soon was the most educated girl in Egyptian history in her class.  When they had studied it only a few weeks ago, she got really into it, and volunteered as much as she could.  Which was very uncommon, and upset the teachers who knew her the best.

Alex walked across the school basketball courts on the last Friday of the school year.  She heard a small whisper of a meow . . . like a kitten.  Alex looked to her left and saw a bag by a dumpster at the end of the school property.  She looked around and when seeing no one she ran to the dumpster and opened the small bag.  What was inside shocked her.  There were a litter of kittens in the bag, but all were dead.  They looked like they were drowned then put in the bag and dumped.  

"This can't be right.  I heard meowing," she pushed at each kitten and waited for a sound.  And at the bottom of the bag a small kitten yelled out at her.  It was the runt of the litter; she could see the difference in size.  It was black, with its face, paws, and the tip of its tail splattered with white.  It looked up at her with golden eyes.  The kitten was very skinny and Alex knew that there wasn't much time before the kitten would die.  She put the small kitten in her gym clothes and put it securely in her bag, and started to walk home.  There was no longer a need to go to school that day.  And besides, there would be no learning.

Later at home, Alex made a small bed for the young kitten and started making some milk that she bought on her way home.  As she was warming up the milk, she tried to find how old the kitten was.  She took some of the wet cat food that she also bought and put it in front of the kitten.  To her surprise the kitten started eating.  "Well, never mind the milk, huh?" she petted the kitten's head.  "Well, you're at least six weeks old.  That's when most kittens start eating on their own."  The kitten sat back on its back legs, looked up at Alex, and gave her a little meow.  Alex smiled and took the kitten in her hands, "Now are you a girl or a boy?"  She took a look, "You're a girl.  And now the problem of naming you."  She put the kitten down and watched it as ran over to a piece of cloth and started playing with it.

The kitten crouched and walked around it cautiously, then pounced.  "Aw, so you're a hunter- ur, huntress.  Let's see huntress . . . huntress . . . it think that it is Neit in Egyptian.  That's your name, Neit."  * A/N: Pronounced "Night". *  The kitten looked up at Alex with the mention of her new name.  "Wow, I guess you already know your name, huh?"  The kitten gave another small meow and began playing with the cloth again.

About another week went by and Neit soon gained back the weight that she desperately needed.  Alex had saved some money to buy Neit a collar, so that she wouldn't get caught in the same situation that she was in when Alex found her.  Alex liked the freedom that the summer gave her, she didn't have to worry about projects or teachers watching her every move.  She was pretty much free to do what ever she wanted.  Until one day a woman came to her door.

Alex woke up with a loud knock on the front door.  She opened her eyes and was face to face with Neit.  "Good morning Neit."  Neit gave her a small meow and started to purr and nudge against Alex's face.  "Alright I'm up," Alex made her way to the bathroom and got ready.  She nearly forgot about the knocking at the door, but it wasn't long before the knocking began again.  She dried her hair and made her way out to the den where Neit was scratching at the door.  "Alright, I guess that you won't let me alone unless I answer."

Alex opened the door and saw a woman in a suit staring at her.  "Can I help you?" she asked.  "Yes, your name is Alex Corplet, right?" the woman's voice was smooth and little too high for Alex's liking.  She wore a black pantsuit that made her look very professional.  "Yeah that's me.  What do you want?"

"My name's Angie.  Can I come in?"  Alex looked at her, "Sure."

Alex picked up Neit and let her in to sit in the den.  Alex sat on the loveseat as Angie took a seat in a chair from the dinning table.  "I know that you've been living by yourself, Alex."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your mother has left and-"

"She didn't leave," Alex said bluntly.

"Then where is she?" Angie leaned forward in the seat.

"She was taken," Alex said as she started to pet Neit who was lying comfortably in her lap.

"And you didn't report it?"

"No one would believe what happened."

"What did happen?"  Alex just kept her mouth shut and stared at the woman.  "We got off on the wrong foot didn't we?"

"Even if we didn't, you're going to take me from my home."

"There isn't much use for a home without family."

"I have a family."

"There is only one person here, Alex!  And that is you!  Your mother is gone!" Angie yelled at her, "You're sixteen years old!  There is no way.  You have to come with me."

"To a new family right?  A better life?" Alex jumped up and looked at Angie.

"It's better then staying here, wallowing in sorrow."

"Take a look," Alex waved her hand over the room, "Does it look like a sty?  I've kept it up, I now have a job, and I earn money.  I can take care of myself until I can get my mother back."  Angie started to walk toward Alex.  Neit jumped up on Alex's shoulder and hissed at Angie.  "Look, you have to go."

"Get out of my house."  Angie left out the front door.  Alex sat on the loveseat and looked all around the house.  Familiarizing with all the rooms, all the furniture, and all the memories.  She knew the woman would be back, and she packed her most valuable things in a bag.  Her dueling cards, Neit's toys, a picture of her and her mother, and few items of clothing.  She looked down at her wrist where the bracelet gave off a soft glow.

Alex soon heard the doorbell, "Come on Neit.  We have to go.  The only way they'll leave us alone is to go."  Alex walked out to the big van and looked at the people, and went without dispute.  "The only thing I ask," Alex said looking at Angie who returned with the rest of the people, "Don't sell the house.  I will come back with or with out my mother."  Angie just nodded her head and closed the door after Neit jumped up on her lap.  Alex was on her way to a new home that was already decided for her.  She leaned her head on the window of the car as she watched her home become a small dot in the distance.

***

Yugi looked up at his high school.  Now in his junior year he has been through many trials, and one of the biggest ones he had to face toward the end of the vacation.  One of his best friends, Tèa, had to move with her family to the next state over.  Each one of them promised to mail Tèa every chance they had.  Everyone knew that it was worse for Yugi then anyone else.  He and Tèa were very close, but none of them could stop it from happening, and all of them knew that no one would ever break their friendship.

Yugi, Joey and Tristin have made it through summer, and now are ready for school.  "Now, I wouldn't say that Yug," Joey said as they entered the main hall of the school.  

"Oh come on Joey," Yugi said turning his head to his left, "We're probably as ready as anyone else is, maybe even more."

"Yeah right," Joey hung his head low.  Yugi and the other two walked into the bathroom to fix their hair.  Yugi looked at himself in the mirror.  Now as tall as Joey and Tristin, Yugi was no longer the shrimp in the group.  Most girls were now noticing, but he didn't really bother to pay attention.  He still wore the millennium puzzle around his neck, almost never letting it out of his sight.

"You so sure this is our year, Yug?  I mean, with Tèa leavin' and all-" Tristin jabbed Joey in the side to shut him up as they headed out the door.  "Hey!  Watch it Tristin!"

Tristin just rolled his eyes and kept walking down the hall.  Yugi kept his eyes on the ground.  Sure he missed Tèa and all, but he just wanted to forget about the whole deal at the moment.  The three boys entered their home room and saw Bakura by one of the windows.  "Hey Bakura, how are you doing?" Yugi came up to him as Joey and Tristin went to scope the new girls in the home room.

"Alright.  And you?"

"Good as can be expected on the first day of school."  They both laughed then took their seats as the teacher began to take roll.  The desks were made for two students each, but no one chose to sit by Yugi since Joey and Tristin were at one desk, and Bakura was sitting with another friend.  Yugi looked behind his seat to see both Tristin and Joey rubbing the sides of their faces.  Apparently the new home room girls weren't too thrilled with their new pick-up lines.  The teacher kept down the line eventually going through "Motu, Yugi."

"Here," all the way down to "Wheeler, Joey."

"Here."

"Alright that seems to be everyone," the teacher put down his roll sheet and turned toward the board.  "Let's get started-"

"Excuse me, Mr. Flitchmen. I have a new student."

"Oh, come right in, Principal Podub."  The principal was a short pudgy woman with a cheery outlook, at least most of the time.  She entered the classroom and turned to the students.  "Everyone, this is Alex Corplet," a girl stepped into the room.  She wore a pair of blue cargo pants with black pockets and underneath a blue denim vest she wore black tube top.  She had her backpack slung over one shoulder and everyone looked at her hair which was streaked with black and cut just below her shoulders.  

Some of the class began to whisper to one another, most of the girls' voices carried over to Alex's ears.  "Is that hair style for real?"  Alex looked down at the floor, but then looked at her wrist when she felt a warm sensation.  The bracelet began to give a light glow, and then slowly dulled to the shiny gold.  Alex looked around, but nothing seemed to be wrong, it can't be warning.

The principal began again, "She has just transferred here from far away.  Go ahead and tell us about yourself, dear."

"Oh great another speech-" Joey and Tristin both just turned to see the new student and their jaws dropped.  "She's a babe!  Hey Yugi, check it out."

Yugi had his head down the whole time trying to figure out what to say back to Tèa from her last letter.  He looked up after Joey pushed the back of his head and looked at the girl.  "I'm not really one for talking," Alex simply said.

"Alright, I understand.  Well welcome," the principal said goodbye to the teacher and walked out of the classroom.  Mr. Flitchmen shook Alex's hand and Yugi gasped in surprise.  "What's up, Yugi?" Tristin asked from behind him.

"Look on her left wrist.  She has a millennium item," Yugi kept his eyes on the gold item, until the teacher woke him up from his thoughts.  "Mr. Motu, please raise your hand."  Yugi did as he was told, "Go ahead and sit next to him.  It's the only empty seat."  Alex nodded her head and sat down, sharing a desk with Yugi.  He turned his head forward so he wouldn't stare.  "Hey, welcome.  My name's Yugi," he greeted her from the side of his mouth.  She turned her head to look at him.  She had a surprised expression on her face, 'No one ever gave me a warm welcome.  Ever.'  She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to figure out how he is different; trying to figure out what influenced him to even attempt a warm welcome like that.  He turned his head toward her and smiled.  He pushed out his hand under the desk for a hand shake.  She looked down at his hand.  "Thanks anyway," Alex pushed his hand back, "But I'm not into the whole friend thing either."

Yugi looked at her surprised, 'Something has happened to her that shouldn't happen to anyone.  I can feel unbearable pain.'  He watched her profile as she took out her notebook and began to write the notes on the board.


	3. The Girl Underneath

Chapter 3: The Girl Underneath

Alex stayed to herself during school hours; she tried to stay away from others as much as possible.  She would often be found by the fence looking in her bag; sometimes it even looked like she was putting food into the bag.  One day right after school she brought out a deck of Duel Monsters and started to go through them.  "Hey, new girl," one of the senior boys noticed the deck and came over.  Alex looked up at him, 'What now?'

"What kind of cards you got?"

"Pretty good ones, why?"

"I'll trade you my Trap Master for your Celtic Guardian, if you have one."

"Sorry, but I'm no amateur.  Maybe a few little kids were fooled by you, but not me.  No deal, the Celtic Guardian has about a thousand attack points over that.  And besides, I already have three Trap Masters in my deck."

"Why you little . . . Think you're smart, don't ya?"

"I would like to think so, yeah."

"Let's see what we got in the bag," he grabbed her bag from the ground and started to rummage through it.  "Hey, give that back!"

"Not until I find a worth while card," he kept poking until he drew back his hand, "What the- hey, what's a cat doing in your bag?"

"Give her back!" Alex got up from the ground.  All the yelling attracted other passerby's and a group of three boys with Yugi in tow.  The boys joined the already forming circle, "Hey Yugi, isn't that that new girl?"

"Yeah, and it looks like Leo's causing some problems," Tristin answered the question.

"What are you going to do?" Leo kept taunting Alex with her bag.

"Why I otta . . ." Alex shook her fist at the boy.

"Hey Leo, just give her back the bag and cat," Yugi stepped from the crowd.

"Well, if it isn't small, little Yugi.  I've seen you've grown over the summer."

"I'll ask you again.  Give it back."

"Or what?"

"Here comes Yami," Joey whispered to Tristin.  But to both of their surprise Yami never showed his face or presence.  It was all Yugi.  "Look, I don't want to fight, I just think that you should return the bag."  While Yugi was distracting Leo, Neit popped her head out from the bag and bit on Leo's arm.  "Oww, you stupid cat!" Leo grabbed Neit by the neck and threw her across the concrete.  "Neit!" Alex yelled as she tried to run to catch her, but she was to far away to begin with.

Just before Neit could hit the ground Yugi jumped and caught her, softening the blow for the cat.  Neit opened her eyes and looked up at Yugi and gave a small meow of thanks.  Yugi smiled at the cat as Neit licked him on the cheek and ran back over to Alex.  Alex grabbed up Neit and hugged her.  "I'm so glad you're alright," she looked at Yugi who was dusting himself off.  Neit climbed up on Alex's shoulder to get a better look of things.  "Thank you," Alex walked up to Yugi and helped him up.

"You're welcome," Yugi smiled at her.

"Now for that slime ball," Alex looked around for Leo, but he took off leaving her bag on the ground.  She picked up her bag and told Neit to jump in.  "Thanks again, even though I could have taken him.  I've taken much bigger bullies down in duels," Alex slung the bag over her shoulder and took off for home.

"What's up with that girl?" Joey asked as he came up behind Yugi.

"What do you mean Joey?"

"That whole 'I could have taken him' thing.  I mean, what kind of thank you is that?"

"It's better then nothing, Joey," Yugi and the others gathered their stuff and headed for Grandpa's card shop.  "Wait a minute you guys.  I need to go get something," Yugi ran into the school and came out about fifteen minutes later with a piece of paper in his hand.  "What's that Yug?"

"Just something I wanted to get."

***

Later that day Alex was at the dinner table with her new 'parents'.  They were nice people, pretty normal too.  The woman, Connie, was a pediatrician and loved children, but could never have any of her own because of medical reasons.  The man, Bill, was a lawyer in the firm down the road, and that is whom Alex had the most beef with.  It seemed like whenever she talked he had to see it as a negative comment.  Thank goodness there was Connie to balance it out.  She couldn't see them as her legal guardians or parents . . . ever.  No one could replace her mother.  "Alex, how was school?" Connie tried to start a conversation.

"Alright, I guess."

"Alright?  What did you learn today?  Or did you just sit and go into your own fantasy land?" Bill asked leaning forward toward Alex.

"For your information, I learned more about Egypt in history class today," Alex sort of brightened her mood.

"That's all I hear everyday, all the time.  Egypt this and Egyptians created that.  It gets very tiring."  Alex stood up from her chair, "Well I would show a little more respect.  They invented most of the luxuries that we use today."

"Alex calm down, honey," Connie tried to get her to sit down.

"I'm sorry, Connie.  But I can't take it how he tries to turn everything I say into something it isn't.  The first time that I stepped through that door I've been yelled at and blamed for many things.  And on top of that he took my only friend from me," Alex was talking to Connie, but stared across the table at Bill.

"A cat can't be a friend," Bill spit out before he put a spoon full of food in his mouth.

"Neit's more of a friend or civilized person then you'll ever be."

"Don't you ever show disrespect at this table!" Bill stood up from his chair.

"Then act like you deserve some, Bill!" Alex started to walk away from the table.

"Maybe we should have left you all alone in that run down apartment!"

"I would have been much happier then what I am now!"

"Don't let me catch that cat in this house!"  All he could hear in response was Alex's door slamming shut at the other end of the hall.  "Bill, we're trying to get her comfortable here, not unwanted."

"Well, she should think before she opens her mouth," Bill gathered their plates and started to wash.  Connie got up as she heard the doorbell ring, "I'll get that."

Connie opened the door to see a young man standing before her, "Hello, how may I help you?"

"Hi, is this Alex's home?"

"We would like it to be.  Who are you?"

"My name is Yugi.  I go to Alex's school."

"Oh.  Well, Alex is having some problems at the minute, maybe you could come by another day."

"Ok, thank you anyway."  Yugi said goodbye and started to walk away.  As he was walking down the street he stopped and looked at the house, 'I wonder what she meant by we would like it to be?'  As he stared at the house he could see one of the windows at the side of the house was opening, with someone trying to climb out.  Yugi raised an eyebrow and walked to the other side of the fence.

"Come on, Neit," Alex called to her cat as she finally made it down from her window.  Neit jumped down on Alex's shoulder and brushed against her face, "Good girl.  Come on, let's go."

"Sneaking out, huh?" Alex turned around and saw Yugi leaning against the wall.  "You should really think about waiting after dark.  It's better to go under the veil of darkness," Yugi smiled and pushed himself off the wall.

Alex snorted at him, "And what are you doing here?"

"I was thinking of trying that whole friendship thing again."

"I'm sorry, but you wasted your time," Alex walked past him and started to walk down the road.

"Hey where are you going?"

"Where ever my path leads."

"And what is that suppose to mean?" Yugi asked as he walked beside her.

"It means that wherever my feet take me is where I'm meant to be.  And wherever that is, I believe that is where my mother is."

"Wasn't that your mother back there?" Yugi pointed behind them.

"Not to be rude or anything Yugi, but how is that any of your business?"

"I'm sorry if I offended you, Alex.  But if you don't mind me asking what is with your whole charade of the though girl attitude?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you and your whole 'I don't need anyone' attitude.  Everyone has to have friends."

"I do have friends.  My mother, Neit and . . . never mind."

"No go ahead, tell me," Yugi looked at her.

"You won't believe me.  No one ever does except Neit," Alex looked at Neit on her shoulder.  Neit looked at her and meowed, and then jumped over onto Yugi's shoulder.  "That's strange.  She usually never lets anyone else near her, much less pet her, except me."

"Well, they say cats do have a great judge of character," Yugi petted Neit below the chin, and started to talk to the cat.  Alex narrowed her eyes at him, thinking that she was going to find some kind of sign that he was going to laugh, or jump up and go tell the next kid that the new girl is a psycho.  But she couldn't find one in his almost ruby colored eyes.  "Don't worry, you can trust me," Yugi tried to reassure her.

"No offense or anything, I just don't trust many people these days.  No matter how well Neit judges them," she whistled to Neit and the cat jumped back on her shoulder.  She started to walk down the road again as Yugi just stared at her in disbelief.

"What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" Alex turned back around.

"What could have happened to you that was so horrible that you shun away anyone else who wants to help you or be your friend?"

"Look," Alex walked back to him and poked him in the chest, "I've tried the whole friendship thing before myself.  It never worked.  Everyone saw me differently, called me names, and never let me in their circle of friends.  And even when I helped a couple of them out of a jam, they didn't give me anything remotely close to a thank you.  So I gave up.  The only friend I had was my mother, and even she was taken from me.  And then I found Neit, and she is the only one I have until I can find my mother and bring her back," she put down her finger that was poking Yugi and looked at his face which showed the mixture of confusion and sympathy for Alex.

"And just how are you going to bring her back?"

"With duel monsters.  The only weapon I have, and the only thing I'm good at."

"Duel monsters?  The card game?"

"The only one worth playing.  The monster that took my mother from me beat me in a duel.  I thought that I could win.  I mean I was undefeated.  I was Mandrake County's Champion.  I just didn't realize that he could . . . just take her without a second thought . . ." Alex looked down at the ground and turned away from Yugi.  "But what am I telling you this for?  It's not like you would care."

"But I do," Alex looked back at him with a questioning stare, "Friends are suppose to care for each other."

"I told you before, I'm no one's friend.  And I don't plan to be.  No one to worry about, except for Neit and myself.  I'm free, don't you see?  I'm free to find my mother, move back to the only place that feels like home and never have to worry about leaving people behind, or worry about anyone else getting hurt . . . or taken from my life."

"Those are some chances that you have to take in life, Alex.  Not just in friendships.  And you'll never be free from those feelings."

"If I keep to myself, and don't trust anyone I can."

"Really?  So you don't trust in me right now?  Telling me all this about your mother," Alex looked at him with a face of realization, "Like it or not, I'm your friend," Yugi held out his hand for a hand shake, "And I'm not taking no for an answer."  Yugi looked at her seriously with hand unmoving stretched out toward her.  Alex looked at it, 'Go ahead and take it, Alex.  You need a friend, no matter how much you say you don't . . . you really do,' something inside her kept telling her.  Neit nudged her from the side of her face.  Alex smiled, 'It seems that it's two to one.'  "You'll never give up, will you?"

"Nope, I'll be as pestering as possible until you will finally give in, and you know at one point you will."  Alex made a soft chuckle under breath and stepped forward.  

"Well, I don't want you to waste anymore of your time," she took his hand and shook it, "You have no idea what you just got yourself into Yugi Muto."

"Is that a challenge, Alex?"

"If you take it as one," she smiled.

"Alright then, I'll make a challenge myself.  Would the Mandrake County champion like to duel the Duelist Kingdom champion?"

"You lie!" they both started to walk toward Yugi's shop.

"Now would I lie to you?"

"I don't know, would you?"  Yugi thought she was serious and looked at her, "I was joking, Yugi.  I would love to duel you.  But I warn you, I might be harder to beat then Pegasus."

"Yeah right!"

"I know I am," Alex smirked and Yugi turned to look at her, then a smirk started to grow on his face.

"Your it!" Yugi hit her on the back as Neit jumped off her shoulder and started to run with Yugi down the road.  "Hey!" Alex ran after them both, "No fair, I didn't know we were racing!"  Both of them were running and laughing down the road and caught the attention of two boys across the street who soon started to follow.

***

Yugi and Alex finally made it down the street to the shop where Yugi's grandfather was waiting for him.  Yugi opened the door and let Alex go in before him.  "Grandpa, I'm home!" Yugi put his bag down and motioned for Alex to sit down in one of the chairs in the other room.  Yugi's grandpa came from one of the other rooms, "Hey Yugi.  Who is this, a new friend of yours?" he asked looking at Alex.  Alex smiled at him and Yugi nodded at his grandpa.  "You have a nice shop, sir," Alex said looking around, "I'm really into collecting Duel Monster cards."

"That reminds me, Alex," Yugi said turning to her with a deck in his hand, "You said we would duel."

"All right, but I warned you about dueling with me," Alex took out her own deck and started to shuffle.  They split each other's decks and started.  Yugi's grandfather watched the two duel, each one showing their frustration.  'Why is this so hard?  I've never had problems like this before,' Yugi thought.

_Maybe I should take over for a while, Yugi._

'Yami, but I said that I would challenge her not you.'

_How will she know?_

'Fine . . . this might be a fun duel after all,' he looked over at Alex who was studying her cards trying to plan her move, 'Why is this guy so hard?'

_Try looking what's around his neck_, the voice inside her head was telling her.  She looked up and for the first time she noticed a golden triangle with the same Egyptian eye as her bracelet printed on it.  'It's the same eye.'

_Let me help you, Alex.  I think I know what you are up against._

'If I do, will you tell me who you really are, because I know that you can not just be my imagination.'

_Deal_, Alex closed her eyes and she could feel the spirit of the bracelet almost take over, giving her the control to duel and make decisions, but she felt some power that wasn't there before.  She looked across at Yugi, who seemed to have changed himself.  But she dismissed it and began to duel again.

Duel after duel, each and every one came out as a draw.  Neither one of them could defeat the other.  At the end of the last duel Alex looked outside and noticed that the first stars of night began to show.  She could fell the other spirit leave as she placed her hand down.  She gathered up her cards and turned to Yugi, "I think I should be going back now."

Yugi looked up at her, "I thought you were going to find your mother."

"I will, but I have to be able to defeat you before I can challenge that monster again.  And Connie might be a little worried about me."  Yugi stood up and helped her with her stuff.  "Come on, I'll walk you home."

They left the shop and started toward Alex's place.  She climbed back through the window, not wanting to go past Bill.  She looked down at Yugi, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Multiple things," Alex looked down at her hands, which looked like they belonged to someone actually nervous, "but mostly for waking me up to the realization that I just can't keep running from people.  No matter how hard I try, I can't stop myself from wanting friends."  She looked back at Yugi, "I can't keep myself from caring for people."  She leaned over the window frame and kissed him on the cheek, "Thank you."  He looked up at her with bright red cheeks, "You're welcome."

"See you tomorrow in school . . . Yami."  She closed the window and went to turn off the light.  Yugi began to walk away touching his cheek with his hand, when he finally become conscious of something, 'Did she just call me Yami?!'


	4. School Runins

Chapter 4: School Run-ins

As Yugi walked away he tried to piece together how she knew about Yami, or tried to find out if he just misheard her.  Then out from another bush, who else but Tristin and Joey climb out with huge smiles on their faces.  "So . . . ?" Joey nudged Yugi in the arm.

"Where did you guys come from?" Yugi looked at him.

"Aren't you going to tell us how you did it?"

"Did what?" Yugi sighed, realizing that they weren't going o answer his question.

"How you got her to actually be human and socialize."

"She was human to begin with, Joey.  She just didn't have any friends other then her mother."

"And . . ." Tristin dragged on.

"What?!" Yugi asked annoyed.

"How was the kiss?"

"You guys were watching!" Yugi stopped in his tracks and looked at the other two with both embarrassment and fury in his eyes.

"Ever since you two walked into the card shop," Joey put his hand on Yugi's shoulder.  "Why you two . . ." Joey removed his hand and hinted to Tristin to be ready to run.  "I'm going to get you!" Yugi chased after them down the street.  Joey looked back at his friend over his shoulder, "Does this mean that she's free, Yugi?"  All three of them were laughing as the two tried to keep a good amount of distance between them and Yugi.

***

The next day at school Alex had a brighter look on everything, even though she did get a good talk to from Bill.  She winced as she remembered all the things that were said, 'I'm so grateful that I know how to block things out.'  She also remembered what happened when she went to sleep.  She began to dream.

**Dream Sequence (A/N: Title of another one of my fics.  Sorry, just had to add that in there.)**

_'Who are you?'_

**_My name is Amunet.  I'm the other presence you feel in the millennium bracelet._**

_'Millennium bracelet?'___

**_Yes, it is one of the most powerful weapons of ancient Egyptian times.  And I was its keeper.  When you put the bracelet on you awoke my spirit._**

'_You are the one who helps me through my duels . . . and through my hard times.  And I thank you for that.'_

**_I still feel partly to blame for your mother.  I'm sorry, I should have helped more.  I know the game of duel monsters very well, I could have done something more.  I could have-_**

_'It was no one's fault.  I just have to get her back.  And I will get her back.'_

**_Alex, you have to understand something very important.  You cannot let that man get a hold of the bracelet.  If it falls into the wrong hands it-_**

_'Could destroy the world.'___

**_How did you know?_**

_'I watch way too much TV and action movies for my age.  And that's how it usually goes.  Good guys have some kind of out of control power; and if it falls into the hands of the bad guys the world will be destroyed.  The usual, except I never pictured me as one of the good guys.'_

**_So you must understand the seriousness of the situation.  It must not fall into the wrong hands or the consequences may be astronomical.  And you will probably get mad at me for saying this, but your mother was worth the risk for the bracelet.  I knew that in your heart you would have given the bracelet for your mother in a heartbeat if you could.  I'm sorry you were the one to awaken me; you have lost so much when you didn't even ask for any of this._**

_'Hey, all girls need adventure in their lives.  Most have boyfriends, and this is just the thing to fill the empty space that would normally be filled by a personal relationship.'_

**_Well, it might be filled by something or, should I say someone, soon enough._**

_'Your talking about Yugi aren't you?'_

**_I'm not talking about anything more than a boy who showed you some compassion tonight, and tried to become your friend when you didn't even really deserve it.  Nothing more and nothing less._**

_'I know I didn't, but it's strange.  He is different from others. . . . . Why did you call Yugi, Yami when he left tonight?  I've never heard that name before.  It felt strange coming off my tongue.'_

**_Yami is the spirit in Yugi's millennium piece.  The puzzle around his neck with the eye printed on it once belonged to Yami.  It seems that when my soul was placed in the millennium bracelet piece, Yami's was sealed in the puzzle._**

_'Who was Yami?'_

**_He was the pharaoh in my time.  The greatest pharaoh that has ever lived in all the times of _****_Egypt_****_, no other ruler was or could ever be a greater leader._**

_'I guess that you liked him.'_

**_How do you guess that?_**

_'The way you talk about him, and the way your voice contained that tone of excitement when you asked me to let you duel with me.  You knew it was him and you were excited.  Classic signs.'_

**_You are very intelligent for your age, Alex._**

_'So I take that as a yes?'_

**_We were . . . I should let you sleep.  Goodnight Alex._**

_'Amunet!__  Hey, answer my question!  Dang you.  Goodnight Amunet.'_

** End Dream Sequence **

            Alex walked slowly toward the main building as she looked at the new cards that she bought yesterday from Yugi's card shop.  There were some pretty good magic cards and a very good monster card.  As she walked in through the door, she didn't notice anyone on the other side as she shoved it open.  "Ow!" she looked down at the person she hit with the door.  It was none other then Yugi staring at her from the floor, "Yugi!  I'm so sorry!  I didn't see you!" 

Yugi rubbed the side of his head and looked at Alex, "It is alright, I should have known it was you from how hard the door hit my head."

"I'm so sorry, are you alright?  Let me see," Alex moved his hand away from his head and looked at the spot where the door hit.  Yugi bent his head forward so she could get a better look and blushed from the distance between them.

"Ah, he'll be alright," Alex turned to see two other boys coming down the hall toward them, "He's been through much worse situations.  But I have a really bad case of crushing . . . on you."

"Did you come up with that pick up line by yourself, or did you take it off the dead guy that tried the same line on me?"  Alex crossed her arms over her chest.  Yugi began to laugh at the expression on his friend's face.  "Alex, these are my friends: Joey and Tristin.  They have been by my side through thick and thin."  Alex held out her hand, "Yugi said the best thing to do is to get out there and meet new people.  And who ever is a friend to Yugi must have a good heart."

"Does this mean we have a date?" Joey asked holding her one hand in both of his.

"Not in this lifetime," Alex said as she retracted her hand from his grasp.  Tristin put a hand on Joey's shoulder, "Tough break, man."  Joey held his head down in defeat.  Alex turned to Yugi and showed him the new monster card she got out from the pack.  "Very nice, Alex.  Harpy's brother, attack points of eighteen hundred."

            "Did somebody say something about harpies?"

            "Mai, is that you?" Joey lifted his head and turned toward the voice.

"Think about it, Joey.  Who else would have my voice?"

"What are you doing here, Mai?" Yugi asked over by Alex.

"Oh, I had to come here because of my mother.  She's working here, great times," Mai looked over at Alex, "And who is this?  A new member of the group?"

"This is Alex.  She just transferred here from another town.  She is great at duel monsters."

"Oh, really?  Up for a duel, newbie?"

"Not right now, but I'll keep the challenge in mind, Mai," Alex said to Mai.  They all started to talk about different things, until the bell rang for class to start in ten minutes.  "Come on you guys, home room time," Tristin said as he led the way to class.

"Um, Joey.  Can I talk to you for a minute?" Mai yanked on one of his sleeves.

"Sure Mai, what's up?"

Alex and the others made it into the room and waited for Joey who made it in the room just before the bell rang.  He was kind of staggering and finally made his way to his seat next to Tristin after tripping over a couple of bags on the ground.  "Hey, you alright man?" Tristin asked concerned about his bud.

"Yeah, never better," Joey said somewhat out of it and staring at the ceiling.  Yugi and Tristin looked at each other confused, but Alex knew what just happened and snickered under her breath.  She could see Mai walk by the classroom door and wink at her as she passed by.  Alex winked back, because she was pretty much the only one that knew what had happened.  "What do you think is up with Joey, Alex?" Yugi asked turning back to her.

"I think that he will tell when he is ready. . . . Although, you should never kiss and tell . . ."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"Oh, you'll figure it out soon enough."

***

On her way home Alex walked alone.  The group had to stay behind and help Joey walk home, but Alex had to go a completely different way and Bill would be on her tail if she got home late.  Before she left Yugi caught her by the arm and asked if he could talk later, she said yes and he whispered something to her.  Her spine tingled as his lips brushed against her ear, 'What am I thinking?!' she yelled at herself.  He finally figured it out and whispered in her ear what he thought really went on when Mai took Yugi to the side.  Alex nodded and walked away, leaving behind a stunned and partly disturbed Yugi.

Alex cut through a little playground on her way back to the house, when a few girls jumped off the swings and into her way.  All three of them were blonds and Alex could tell that it would be trouble.  "So, you're the new girl," the one in the middle said, "My name is Millie.  And their names are Ashley."

"Both of them?"

"Yup.  I heard that my boyfriend Leo tried to trade, but you didn't want to," all three of the blonds circled Alex.

"Yeah, and let me guess you want to beat me up because of it right?"

"Well, not just for that.  You've also have to get a major makeover, I mean-"

"_That hair does not go with that outfit.  That's what you were going to say right?  I get enough of that where I came from."_

"Well, you should know better then, shouldn't you?"  Alex looked at them, "That's pretty sad of your boyfriend."

"What is?"

"Making his girlfriend fight his fights.  I mean, how big of a wuss do you need to be?"  Millie ran forward and was about to punch her in the face when Alex blocked her fist with her hand.  Millie grabbed her fist back, "Ow!  How did you block that?"

"Very easily, I just put up my hand."  Millie tried it again and again, but nothing touched Alex.  "Look, I need to get home.  If you're done I would like to go."

"I'm not done with you yet, Alex!"

"Too bad, I gotta go."  Millie just started to throw a tantrum and started to run out of the playground.  The two Ashleys followed her out of the playground.  "Well, that wasn't much of a payback," a voice came from behind Alex.

"What the?  Who are you?"

"Don't you remember me, Alex?"  Alex looked at the man before her in a black cloak.  "It's you.  What do you want?"

"The bracelet."

"I told you before; I'm not giving it to you. And just to tell you, I'm going to get back my mother."

"And just how are you going to do that?" The man asked half laughing.

"Believe me, when the time comes, I'll get her back.  No worries."

The man stopped his laughing and lunged toward Alex.  He held both of her arms in his grasp and started to shake her.  "Give me the bracelet or you will be sorry."

"I'm already sorry for even giving you the chance of coming into my life!" Alex kicked him where the sun don't shine and jumped off of his chest on onto the ground.  She looked up from her crouching position at the man.  "Leave me alone," she said between gritted teeth.  "As soon as you give me the bracelet," the man hit her in the face, apparently, unaffected by her kicks.  She fell to the ground and rolled to her side as she saw his foot coming toward her throat.  He caught her when she rolled back and kicked her under the swings.  'Don't let him get the bracelet, Alex,' Amunet called from the back of her mind.

'I know, but I can't fight him off for long,' she looked up at the man as he stepped over her.  From above his head Neit showed her head and began scratching at his face.  "Neit!" Alex jumped up and grabbed Neit off his face and began to run.  "No you don't!" He caught her by the ankles and dragged her down.  "Leave me alone!  Just leave me alone . . ."

"Alex!" she picked her head up and saw Yugi on the other side of the clearing.  "Yugi!  Get out of here!"  She kicked the guy in the chin and dragged herself out to a place where she could run.  She ran over to Yugi, grabbing her bag on the way.  "Just run," she grabbed his hand and ran with him out of the playground with Neit in her other arm.

They ran through the wooded area surrounding the playground, "I think that he's gone."

"Who was that?"

"Oh, you mean me?" the man stepped out from the bushes in front of them.  Alex's eyes grew huge and Yugi stepped in front of her.  "Yugi, just get out of here.  I don't want you to get hurt.  Please, just run."

"I'm not leaving you to this monster," Yugi had a different voice, and Alex saw that he looked different; his whole presence seemed to change drastically.  It looked like he made the change he made when they were dueling.

"Monster?  You don't know the half of it."  The man hit him up against the side of a nearby tree.  Yugi slid down the tree with pain showing in your face.  "Yugi!  Don't hurt him!"  The man just walked over to the young boy, held him up by the collar and started to hit him in the face and gut.  Alex didn't know what to do, until she felt a warm sensation on her wrist.  She looked down and saw the bracelet start to glow once again.  She closed her eyes and felt the light and warmth grow to surround her body.

When she opened her eyes again she was floating above the ground, and her whole body was surrounded by a white, almost blinding light.  Her black tube top and blue cargo pants were transformed into a long white gown that looked like it was from the Egyptian era (duh!).  The man stopped what he was doing and looked up at her.  She picked up her head and looked over at the man then her eyes shifted and looked at Yugi.  Yugi (Now Yami, if anyone was confused) opened his eyes slightly and looked up at her, "Amunet."  Blood trickled from the side of his mouth as he watched her step toward them.

The man dropped the boy and started to back up, "There is no way that you can be in control of the bracelet yet.  It's just too soon."  He watched as she made her way over to the fallen boy.  She kneeled down on her knees and brushed the side of the boy's cheek, "My lord, Pharaoh Yami."  He smiled up at her; she returned the smile and kissed him on the forehead.  Light came from her touch and the boy lying on the ground was healed.  She looked up at the man in the dark cloak, his eyes filled with terror and turned and ran.

She tried to stand back up, but fell as soon as she did so.  Yami caught her before she reached the ground.  The soft glow of white light soon faded and she was back to normal.  "I knew I sensed your presence, Amunet," Yami bent over and kissed the girl on the nose.  Yugi's millennium puzzle glowed a little and he too was soon back to normal.  He picked Alex up, "Alex, wake up.  I guess that drained you."  She fluttered her eyes open, "Yugi?  What happened?"

"You tell me."  Alex stood up by herself and looked around.  "Where's Neit?"  Yugi looked around and saw no sign of the cat.  "Oh no, not Neit.  Neit!  Neit, where are you?"  She looked around frantically, until she heard a faint meow coming from her bag.  She took the cat in her arms, "Oh thank God.  Where is he?"

"He took off.  That thing you did, you-"

"I gotta go home, Yugi."

"Aren't you going to tell me what you just did?"

"I don't think I can tell you just now.  I don't even think I can tell myself."  Alex put Neit back in her bag and started to walk toward the direction of her house.  He put a hand on her shoulder, "I'll walk you home."  She smiled at him and they made their way to her home.

***

"You got mugged!" Bill shouted at Alex.  Connie was  holding her by the arms, "Bill, she does not need you yelling at her.  She was just beaten, and if she didn't know self defense she could have been raped!  Please, just leave her be!"

"It doesn't matter, Connie.  They never listen to that plea anyway," Alex walked to the hall and walked into her room.

"My goodness, Bill!  She was just mugged!  She doesn't need you yelling in her face about it!"

"She should know better!  She's smart enough!" he stormed out of the room.

"Just what is the problem with her, Bill?  Why do you treat her like a criminal?  She is only a teenager!  She has enough problems!"  Bill said nothing; he just walked outside and down the street.

***

"Just what is his problem, Neit?" Alex asked staring up at her ceiling.  The cat was cleaning herself up on top of Alex's dresser and meowed in response.  "I don't understand why he treats me like I don't deserve to even live.  I just don't understand."  Alex rolled over on her side and closed her eyes.

After a few minutes she heard a few clicks on her window.  She looked over at the window where Neit was already perched.  She walked over, opened the window, and looked out.  "Hello?"

"Alex, you alright?" Yugi stepped out from the side of the fence.  "I'm alive," she responded.  Bruises were starting to form on her ribs and arms, but she didn't tell that to Yugi.  She didn't want him to worry.  "Well, that tells me a lot.  Can you take a walk with me, to talk?"  Alex leaned out the window and looked up at the sky, "It's after nightfall."

"I know, I just want to talk with you.  I doubt that the man of the house would let me in.  He seemed pretty steamed going back into the house."

"You should hear him," Alex slid out from the window and whistled for Neit to follow.  Neit just stood on the dresser and waved her paw as to tell Alex to go on without her.  "Alright, suit yourself," Alex shrugged her shoulders.

"Did Neit just wave at you?"

"Yup, she does that when she gets lazy to say she doesn't want to go.  What did you want to talk about?"

"Um, well . . . _I didn't actually want to talk."_

"Really, then who did?"

"Yami."  Alex froze in her tracks, "Did you just say Yami?"

"Yeah.  I think that you have an entity with in you that Yami knows.  And he wants to talk to her."

"You know about Amunet?"

"Well, Yami does, but I'm one of the only people he talks to.  So, I guess you can say I do."

"How are they going to talk?"

"Through us," Yugi stood back away from Alex and she could feel a different presence take his place.  The boy came up to her, "My name is Yami.  May I please talk with Amunet?  We have much to discuss."

Alex looked at him and then smiled, "I'll try."  Alex closed her eyes and concentrated, and soon enough she could feel Amunet take over.  'Good luck, lover girl,' Alex said in the back of their mind.  Amunet opened her eyes and smiled at Yami.  "Hello Yami."  He smiled at her and took her hand.

This time her clothes stayed the same, and no light surrounded her body.  They walked down a street and into a park where they walked along the long paths.  "You know, I've been looking for you in all of the other millennium pieces.  But you were not in any of them."

"You can say that I've been sleeping.  Alex was the first one to put the bracelet on," Amunet lowered her eyes, "I've missed you, Yami."  He stopped and looked at her, "Amunet?"

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "I've missed you so much."  She jumped into his arms and held on tightly to him, "I thought that we would never see each other again."

"That can't be possible.  We're soul mates; we can never be torn apart.  And I guess we're the ultimate proof."  She laughed lightly into his chest, "You could never let me have a straight face."

"I've missed you too, Amunet.  But I never gave up hope that we would one day be together again."  He looked down at her as she raised her head up to see his face.  He leaned down slowly and kissed her on the lips.  She hugged him tighter as they acted as they would never let each other go.  They soon had to part, and began walking again, "You know what my other half is up against?"

"Yes, and I will help anyway I can.  Both I and Yugi."

"That boy means a lot to Alex.  You do realize that don't you?  He is the first one that she has told her secrets to."

"And vice versa.  She is a great deal to Yugi, and he won't let her just drop out of his life by any means.  I believe for the first time in his life he is finding out what love may truly mean."  Amunet smiled at him, "Do you remember our first kiss?"

"How could I not?  We could have both been caught out in front of the fountain like that."

"I know, but it was worth it don't you think?"

"Yes, it was," he raised his head as he heard some noises from the corner ahead, "And speaking of first kisses."  He walked a little closer and from out of the corner came both Joey and Mai, hand in hand and giving each other little kisses on the other's ear.  "Joey?"

"Yami!  What a surprise!"  Joey looked over at Amunet, "What a surprise indeed."


	5. Tea's Return

Chapter 5: Tèa's Return

Yugi and Alex were both playing duel monsters yet again in the card shop, and Alex actually had the lead.  "You mean that I might actually be able to defeat the all mighty Yugi Muto?"

"You're not using Amunet, are you?"

"Of course not, one of little faith.  We agreed no help from our entities, so no entities," Alex looked thoughtfully at her cards.

"I can't believe that Amunet and Yami used to know one another.  Much less were a couple.  I can't escape that they did something that they're not telling us."

"Really?  Amunet told me just about everything," She looked up at Yugi who gave her a confused look, "It's a girl talk thing.  But I know what you mean; it's very weird that they would find each other through us. And what Amunet told me about running into Joey and Mai, threw me for a loop," she threw up her finger like she just discovered a great invention, "And that card ends my turn," she lays a trap card face down and waited for Yugi to start his turn.

"Alright.  Let's see- Hey!  What the?"  Alex looked up from her hand and saw another girl behind Yugi covering his eyes.  She had a little shorter then shoulder length hair, and shining blue eyes.  She looked over at Alex and winked at her.  Alex had no idea what to do, she kind of wanted to be a little friendlier to the girl, but she couldn't fight a ball of flame in the pit of her stomach that she wanted to fling at the girl.  "Guess who . . ." the girl said out loud is a singsong voice.

"Tèa!" Yugi swung around and hugged the girl behind him.  "Oh my gosh, you're back!"  He started to swing the girl around in circles, nearly overwhelmed with excitement.  He seemed really happy to see her.

Alex sat in shock as her eyes filled with both pain and jealousy.  Her whole heart seemed just to fall right out of her body, never to be seen from again.  Tristin came through the front doors of the shop and came up behind Alex, "Hey, Tèa's back . . ." he looked down at Alex, 'Uh oh.'

"Who is she, Tristin?  Please tell me she is a distant cousin or something of Yugi's."

Tristin rubbed the back of his head and started to look uncomfortable, "Well, not exactly.  She is one of the group's former members."

"Former?" Alex asked never looking away from Yugi and Tèa talking excitedly.  "She moved over the summer, apparently she's back for a vacation or something."

"How close to Yugi is she?"

"I . . . I . . ."

"Just tell me Tristin," Alex looked down at the card playing field.  Tristin kneeled down by Alex, "Do you really want to know?"  Alex squinted, closed her eyes tightly and took the hint.  She gathered her cards off the playing field and put them in her bag, "Um, tell Yugi that I wasn't feeling too good and went home."  Tristin looked at her sympathetically. "Can you do that for me, Tristin?" she looked up at him with a smile on her face, but a glossy finish over her eyes, usually a tell-tale sign of tears to come.

"Sure, you can count on me Alex."

"Thanks," Alex tapped on Neit's head to wake her up and walked out the door with the cat not too far behind.  On the other side of the door, she almost ran into Joey and Mai as they came in.  "Oh, sorry you two . . ." Alex could hear her voice start to crack, so she started to pick up speed and ran down the road.  "What's her problem?" Joey asked.  Mai looked inside and saw Yugi and Tèa talking with big smiles on their faces.  "I think that she has just figured out another way you could get hurt in this world."

"Wha-" Joey looked in finally, "Oh."

***

Alex ran hard and long all the way past her home, 'I can't go there.  Not now.  Last thing I need is someone yelling in my face for crying.'  She ran back toward the school, but took a detour through the playground where she encountered the three blonds.  No one was there this time, just her, Neit and the silent winds blowing the swings gently back an forth.  Alex slowed down and walked around the surrounding areas.  She looked up on the jungle gym and noticed that at the top there was a sheet of wood covering the top.  "Come on, Neit."

Alex started to climb to the top and finally reached it.  Neit jumped up and made herself comfortable on Alex's bag.  Alex dangled her legs over the side of the bars and looked down at the ground.  Her vision began to blur as she thought, 'Friends don't greet each other like that.  Old flames do.'  Alex started to cough out sob as she tried to hold them back.  She finally gave up and let her face fall into her hands as she let the tears over flow.

'I've lost him.'

'_He wasn't yours to lose, Alex.'_

'I just thought . ..'

'_Like it or not, Alex.  It is his decision, not yours.'_

'It hurts so much, Amunet.  I've never felt hurt like this.'

_'I know it hurts, but you can't help it right now.  All you can do is let out your frustration.'_

Alex turned on her side and slid her legs from over the side and cried into her arms.

***

"Tèa, I can't believe you're back!" Yugi gave her another hug, "It's been a while."

"Yeah, we started to miss your smart alec remarks," Joey came up to her and gave her a hug.  Tristin gave her a smile and also gave his hug.  "I'm not into the hugging thing, but I'm glad to see you back," Mai gave her a handshake and walked back over to Joey.

"It's great to see all of you again, it's been a while."

Yugi smiled then remembered, "Oh!  Tèa, I wanted you to meet our new friend . . . Alex?"  He looked over at the card playing field, but there was no one on the other side.  Alex's cards were also off the field, "Guys, where's Alex?"

"She went home, Yugi," Tristin stepped up to him, "She didn't feel so good."

"Alex?" Tèa piped up, "Is that the new girl that you guys have been telling me about in your letters?"  Yugi just stood in shock and concern, "Yeah, that's her alright."  He looked at Tristin who gave him a serious look, and started to walk toward the door.

"Yugi, where are you going?" Tèa caught him by the arm.

"I got to go find Alex.  I think that I may have to talk with her."

"But I just got back.  I thought that we might have a drink or something together.  Your friend could wait for an hour or so."  Yugi looked back at her, "Tèa, you don't understand. . . Alex is out there all alone, you don't know what may happen to her."

"Tristin said she went home.  I think that she will be fine," the others in the room begin to back out the front door as not to disturb them.

"You still don't understand, she isn't one to just go home."  Tèa looked at him in the eyes and let his sleeve go, "You care for her, don't you Yugi?"

"Of course I do, she's my friend, Tèa."

"No, I mean that . . ." Tèa hugged herself as she looked away from Yugi, "You care for her more then a friend.  You like her . . ."  Yugi paused for a minute and thought to himself.  "It' because she has a millennium piece isn't it?"

"How did you know that she had a millennium piece?" He looked back at her.

"Joey told me in one of his letters," Tèa looked back at him, "Think about it Yugi, you shouldn't just like someone because of what they have.  I mean, look at what we have . . . together," he took his hand and he looked at the hands together, and then slowly looked at her face.  Tèa looked at him then leaned forward toward him.  She kissed him on the lips and held his face in her hands.  "Together we . . ." Yugi raised his finger to her lips to stop her.  "Give me your hand Tèa," he held out his other hand.

"Why?"

"Just give me your hand," she nodded her head and gave him one of her hands.  He turned her hand over so it was palm up and kissed it in the middle.  "Yugi, what are you doing?"  Yugi didn't answer, he just closed the hand he kissed with one of his hands and placed Tèa's closed hand above her heart.  "I'm giving you back your kiss, Tèa.  It's not meant for me."

"What do you mean?  Of course it was meant for you, I gave it to you."

"But what we have together . . . it is special, but it's only friendship.  Nothing more," Yugi turned away from her and stared out the window.

"Yugi . . . what are you saying?  All that time we spent together meant nothing to you?"  Yugi didn't move or turn around, "That time was precious, but I only saw you as a friend, Tèa.  And I always will."

"But you will look at another girl with a millennium piece with full blown love?" she was almost yelling at him.

"I don't like her because she has a millennium piece!" he turned around yelling at her.

She backed away slightly, "So you do like her."

Yugi put his head back down in realization, "She is more then a millennium carrier, Tèa.  She is a friend, a duelist, a good heart, and the way she smiles . . . it gives me a felling like nothing I've ever felt before."

"So you would risk me to be with her?"

"We didn't have anything Tèa!  What is there to risk?"

"Our friendship, if nothing else!  I'm only here for a few hours, Yugi . . . after that, I don't think I'm coming back.  I wanted to spend that time with you," she looked at him seriously and pointed to the door, "If you walk out that door.  I won't be here again . . . ever.  As a friend or as anything more . . . I won't come back."  Yugi walked over to Tèa and hugged her.  She wrapped her arms around him, "Yugi . . ."

He put his head on her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Goodbye Tèa."  He let her go and walked out the door, leaving a stunned Tèa in the middle of the room.  He turned the corner to find the rest of the group waiting, "Do you guys know where she headed?"

"She headed in that direction," Mai pointed towards the school.  "Thanks Mai," he started running down the street as fast as he could go.

Joey and the others looked back in the window, "Guys, Yugi could handle it now, but we have another friend to comfort."  They looked in to find Tèa sitting down on the couch with her face in her hands crying her eyes out.

***

Yugi ran through the bushes, stopping in front of Alex's window, hoping that maybe she might have actually gone home.  But no such luck her light was off, and she was out.  He turned away from her window and kept running down toward the school.  He then stopped and something kept pulling him in the direction of the playground.  He looked at the school thinking that she might have ran that way, but in the end he followed the pulling sensation and followed it.

He fought his way through the dense branches and bushes underneath his feet.  Entangling him, snaring him making his mission even more difficult.  He finally made it through and walked into the playground.  It was empty.  He was about to turn and leave, until he heard a soft meow by his feet.  Yugi kneeled down by the cat and petted her, "Neit, where is Alex?"

"I knew it was you," Alex slung her feet over the side of the jungle gym, "Neit never lets anyone else touch her."

Yugi looked up at her, with a relived face, "There you are.  I was worried that you might have gotten hurt.  Why did you run off?"

"Why do you think?" Alex stepped over on one of the lower bars and hopped off the gym, with her bag on her back.  She walked over and looked at Yugi in the eyes.  "Why do you think I left that touching scene?"

"What are you talking about?"

"That whole touching scene with your old flame, at least that is the impression I got from that warm greeting you gave her," she patted Neit on the head to avert her eyes from Yugi's.

"Tèa was a close friend of mine, yes."

"But not an old flame?  Yugi, friends don't greet each other like that!  Old flames and even sweethearts, but not friends!"

"Alex-"

"No!  Don't give me any, 'she's just my friend' crap, because I won't take it."

'_Alex, he is trying to explain.  Let him.'_

'Amunet, I know you're trying to help, but please keep out of this.'

'_Just let him explain!'_

"But she is just my friend!"

"Really, she means nothing more?"

"Why are you yelling at me?  I'm trying to explain!"

"You really want to know, Yugi?  The truth is that I really did have a friend . . . a long time ago.  Then that friendship turned into a relationship.  And an 'old friend' came back from god knows where and he went back to her.  Left me all alone to fend for myself.  When I first suspected something, I just brushed it off like I was hallucinating, I felt like I could trust him with my heart.  But then I couldn't live with that pain that still burned in the back of my mind.  I went up to him and first thing that came out of his mouth when I confronted him about it was 'She's just a friend.'  Yeah, a really close friend, one that makes out with you when you're just around the corner.  So don't give me any of that crap!"

"But she is just my friend, Alex."

"You know . . . I really . . ."

"Alex . . . Please."

"You just totally left me out on a limb, Yugi.  At one point we're playing duel monsters and the next, you're swinging her through the air.  I just don't know what to think . . . It feels like I totally lost grip of reality again . . . and my grip on friends."  Yugi looked up from the ground.  Neit pawed on Alex's leg and Alex could hear Amunet calling out for her not to do what she was about to spit out.  "Then what do you want me to say, Alex?"

"I don't want you to say anything Yugi.  . ."

'_Alex, don't say it.  You don't want it to end like this!'_

"I want you to step out of my life," Alex could feel Amunet's presence start to heavy as Amunet lowered her head in defeat.

Yugi looked at her shocked, but then turned around and walked back toward the shop, "If that's what you really want, Alex.  So be it."  She watched him as he walked away, and she could have sworn that she heard sniffs as he faded into the brush.  Neit started to walk after Yugi, but stopped after she realized that Alex meant not to follow.  The cat meowed after Yugi as if telling him to come back, she knew that this could be resolved some how.

Alex's brain, still stuck on anger kept telling her that she did the right thing, but her heart . . . Her heart kept telling her to call out to him, to call him back.  Tell him she meant none of those things.  But her Pride and stubbornness got the better of her and she just watched him walk away, out of her life.

Silent tears slid down her face as she stood watching the spot where he disappeared fifteen minutes before.  'What have I done?  What did I say?' she covered her mouth with her hand, when it finally hit her that she told the guy that she actually loved to get out of her life for good.  She started to break down, and ran home to her window.


	6. So Sorry

Chapter 6: So Sorry

A/N:  Sorry I this is a little short in length, but I had a perfect song for a songfic portion of this story.  And in no way do I own the song or any of its lyrics.  "Mirror, mirror" is the property of M2M.  Hope you enjoy, even if it is a little sad.

Alex stumbled through her window.  She fell on the floor as she pulled off her vest.  She stayed in the same ball position for a few minutes that eventually led up to a half hour.  Neit jumped off the dresser and nudged the side of Alex's face.  "It's ok Neit.  I'll get up, don't worry," Alex pushed herself off the floor and walked to her mirror.  'I don't like her.  She turned her back on possibly the closest friend that she will ever have.  That isn't me.'  She started to remember a song and started to play it on her disk man. 

_Why don't I like the girl I see?_

_The one who's standing right in front of me_

_Why don't I think before I speak?_

_I should have listened to that voice inside of me_

Alex fell over into her bed as Neit curled up beside her.  "Why did I say that to him?  Why didn't I listen to Amunet?" she thought out loud to herself.  Amunet was telling her to listen, but she just shut her out and she said some of the worst things that she could every say to anyone . . . much less Yugi.  '_You know he was never yours to begins with, Alex.  And he was trying to tell you, explain to you.'_

"I know . . . and I just told him to step out of my life.  Why did I get so upset?  We're just friends . . . it wouldn't make any difference if she did mean something to him or not."

'_He's special to you, and you thought you were losing him.  Like the way you lost the other boy.'_

"But Yugi isn't like him.  And never will be, he isn't like that.  I must be so stupid!  I'm an idiot!  A complete idiot!"

_I must be stupid_

_Must be crazy_

_Must be out of my mind_

_To say the kind of things I said last night . . . _

She turned into her pillow and silent tears began to soak the light pillow cover.  "How can I ever change what I did?"

'_We can never change our past . . .'_

_Mirror, mirror hanging on the wall_

_You don't have to tell me who's the biggest fool of all_

_Mirror, mirror I wish you could lie to me_

_And bring my baby back_

_Bring my baby back to me_

_'The only thing that you can do now is to try and make it better.  Try to achieve forgiveness.'  Alex turned on her back and watched the ceiling fan spin in slow motion as she thought.  She saw herself yelling at him, as he desperately tried to explain.  "I was such a fool.  I wish all this happened long ago.  Or even last night . . . but why was I such a stupid fool?"_

_Mirror, mirror lie to me_

_Show me what I want to see_

_Why did I let you walk away?_

_When all I had to do was say I'm sorry . . ._

_I let my pride get in the way_

_And in the heat of the moment I was to blame_

"I watched him.   Just watched him walk away into the bushes.  At any time I could have told him to stop and told him I was sorry.  But I'm so stubborn I didn't even give what I was doing a second thought."  She squeezed her fist tightly as she saw her knuckles turn white.  "If only I could say that I'm sorry.  So sorry."

_I must be stupid_

_Must be crazy_

_Must be out of my mind_

_Now in the cold light of the day I realize_

_Mirror, mirror hanging on the wall_

_You don't have to tell me who's the biggest fool of all_

_Mirror, mirror I wish you could lie to me_

_And bring my baby back_

_Bring my baby back to me_

She felt tired as she sniffled, buried her head in her pillow and closed her eyes.  

***

Alex thought ahead to the day following this dreaded night.  She would walk into the main building like always, but the group wouldn't be there to greet her.  They would be in another corner, talking amongst themselves wit their old friend, Tèa.  Yugi would look and see her standing by herself, but he would come over and welcome her in the circle.  He would look straight through her, as if she wasn't even there.  He would then turn back to the group and start laughing and whispering with Tèa.  How Alex wished to every star in the night sky that the daylight should never come.

_If only wishes could be dreams_

_And all my dreams could come true_

_There would be two of us standing here in front of you_

_If you could show me someone that I used to be_

_Bring back my baby_

_My baby to me_

Alex opened her eyes and looked in the mirror after she sat up on her bed.  She looked at her reflection.  Although it wasn't her.  It was a girl of sorrow, tear stains smeared on both sides of her face.  She saw a face in the mirror, reflected by her window, it was Yugi's!  She turned around hopeful he would be there, but it was only a trick on her mind.  "I'm truly sorry."

_Mirror, mirror hanging on the wall_

_You don't have to tell me who's the biggest fool of all_

_Mirror, mirror I wish you could lie to me_

_And bring my baby back . . . back_

She finally whipped the spots of tears from her face and eyes, pushed herself off the bed and took the last few looks in the mirror.  She grabbed her vest off the floor where she fell and climbed out the window.

_Mirror, mirror hanging on the wall_

_You don't have to tell me who's the biggest fool of all_

_Mirror, mirror I wish you could lie to me_

_And bring my baby back _

_Bring my baby back to me_

She ran through her yard and down the street.  She passed the sheets of glass framed in the store buildings.  She caught a glimpse of herself as she ran past them all.

_Mirror, mirror lie to me_

_Show me what I want to see_

She ran close to the card shop, but then passed it . . . she couldn't feel his presence there.  She was being pulled in another direction, toward the park down the street.  She ran through the maze of paths until she finally found him.  He was walking along the path with his head down and kicking the dirt beneath him.  She followed him with her eyes as he slowly trudged up the path.  She slowly walked up behind him, and reached out to him, but thought better of it.  And ever so softly she called out his name, "Yugi?"

He picked up his head and looked back at her, "Alex . . . what are you doing here?  I thought you wanted me out of your life."  She walked slowly up to him with her head low, never bringing her eyes to meet his.  "I had to tell you something."

"What . . . did I do something else wrong that you want to yell at me for?"

Alex cringed as she heard the anger in his voice, "No.  I just . . ." Alex finally looked up in his face.  It didn't look very angry, it was more hurt then anything else and she could see the tell-tale signs of where tears once stood.  She took his hand, "I'm so sorry."

He placed his other hand on hers, "I should apologize, too."

"For what?  You didn't just yell at your friend when they were trying to explain something.  You didn't let your pride take the best of you when you told them to walk out of your life."

"I shouldn't have just left you out on a limb like I did."

"You didn't mean to Yugi.  Look, I never meant those things.  I never want you out of my life," she couldn't control herself as she flung herself into his arms.  "It's just that . . . I can't stand the thought . . ." she buried her head into his chest.

"What thought, Alex?" he looked down at the top of her head.

"Of you being someone else's," Alex said fast so he almost didn't catch it.  "And I know it's not my decision on who you . . . It's just that ever since you gave me the gift of friendship, I have never felt the same.  You have given me a new life, a new start.  And the best part about it is that this new start is complete."

"Why is this start so complete?"

"Because," she looked him in the eyes.  She felt like that has the single best moment of her life.  The one moment she could stay in forever; being held closely in his arms as they stared into one another's eyes.  "You know, not that I'm complaining," Yugi said shaking his head; apparently he was stuck in her eyes, as she was stuck in his, "But why is it so complete?"

"This start has feelings and love," she said slowly leaning in closer to Yugi.  He looked at her surprised, "Is that why you were so upset, because you . . ."

"Yes," she closed the gap separating the two.

Mirror, mirror lie to me… 

***

         Alex opened her eyes and saw Neit pawing at her face trying to wake her up, "Neit, where am I?"  Neit nudged against her face and Alex noticed that all the lights were off.  "Connie must have come in to check on me," Alex patted Neit on the head and tried to get up.  Neit kept nudging at her face and looking at the window.  Alex popped her head up, hopeful that her dream was real.  She really did go and tell Yugi she was sorry, didn't she?  Didn't she?

She got up and wiped the tears (and drool) from her face and got up.  She looked around, but saw no sign that she actually fulfilled her task.  She pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming and put her vest back on.  "This time, I'm sure that this is going to be real," she climbed out the window and toward Yugi's home, with Neit not far behind.

She raced through the neighborhoods hoping that he may still be awake, and that he would forgive her.  Because now she realized, she really cared for him . . . she loved him.

She made as many shortcuts as she could find which was probably a bad decision.  She was being pulled in a certain direction. Like in her dream, so she knew that she had to follow it, but she kept telling herself to go another way.  She ran through the park where the setting of her dream occurred, and there she saw someone walking down the path.  She saw a glint of gold around the figure's neck, 'Yugi!'  She ran after the person, turned the corner, and found no one, "Yugi?  You here?"

"Behind you," Alex's eyes went huge, as the only thing that she remembered was her world going black.

***

Yugi tossed and turned in his bed as he replayed the scene in his head, _'Then what do you want me to say, Alex?'_

_'I don't want you to say anything Yugi . . . I want you to step out of my life.'_  Yugi opened his eyes and sat up in bed.  Sweat was rolling down his face, not to mention a few tears.  He wiped his face, "Not again.  I've been having the same dream ever since I went to sleep.  I can't do anything about it . . . she doesn't want me in her life any more.  What _can_ I do?"

Yugi could feel the presence of Yami in the back of his mind, but apparently the spirit had nothing to say.  Yugi stepped out of his bed and started to pace around the room.  "I have to try and talk with her again.  No matter how much she wants me out of her life, and even if she won't answer me I have to try," he opened his closet and got dressed.  He walked out the front and almost tripped on something going out.  He looked down to see a small black form lying by the door, "Neit?"

The black cat looked up at him and gave him her small meow.  "Where is Alex?"  Neit grabbed a piece of material in her mouth and dropped it at Yugi's feet.  Yugi picked it up and realized that it was a piece of Alex's cargo pants . . . almost socked in blood, 'Alex!'

"Where is she Neit?"  The cat ran off with out a second command, and Yugi stayed close behind.  They found their way trough the park to a certain place.  Yugi looked around and saw Alex's vest lying on the ground, nearly ripped to shreds.  He picked it up and looked around the place franticly, "Alex?  Alex!"  Yugi could feel the tears returning.

_Yugi, don't panic!  Follow your heart,_ Yami reminded him.  Yugi closed his eyes and nodded his head.  He felt himself being pulled in a direction and followed it, to wherever it led.  Hopeful it would lead him to her. 


	7. Daddy?

Chapter 7: Daddy?

            Alex woke up grumbling and dizzy.  She opened her eyes to see a blurry vision of the room around her.  After her vision cleared a bit she could look around the small room, 'This seems so familiar . . . like I've been here before.'

'_I don't like this, Alex.  I'm getting a strange feeling from this place.'_

'Me too, Amunet.  This place may seem familiar, but it doesn't feel as cozy as it looks.'  

There was poster after poster of unicorns that plastered the light pink wall, and Alex looked at the bed that she was in and saw the pink heart frame that was supporting the mattress.  The mattress was covered in lavender and pink heart sheets and comforters.  Stuffed animals and baby dolls were scattered around the room some piled on top of others making mountains in all four corners of the room.  Most of them had that fake smile that most Barbie dolls have printed on their face, but others had blank expressions, showing no emotion behind their black eyes.  Some gave Alex a cold feeling and sent shivers down her spine.  She felt her head and straightened up in bed, "What the hell happened?"  She looked around and then heard some one in the shadows, "Alright, I know there is some one there, so don't be stupid.  Show yourself."

"You know, you shouldn't talk so much, you might hurt yourself," a man came out from the shadows.  He was middle aged, and his age was just now starting to show in his appearance.  Most of his hair was still a dark brown, but some grey was starting to show on the top and the sides of his head.  He was wearing a dark cape that surrounded his build, so Alex couldn't really tell if she could get passed him without getting hurt, if she ever wanted to escape.  "Maybe I should say the same to you, but we'll see after you answer a few of my questions," Alex swung her feet over the side of the bed, "Why am I here?"

"I wanted to help you understand."

"Understand what?"

"The Millennium items and what there is to know about them.  How to use them to your own advantage mostly."

"You know about millennium items?"

"I know that you have one around your wrist," he walked forward stretching out his hand toward the bracelet.  Alex held it tightly with her other hand and leaned away from the man.  "Huh, your mother was the same way with that bracelet.  Wouldn't let it go for the world.  Even when she was threatened by something she couldn't bear to lose."

"How would you know about my mother?" Alex looked at the guy in the eyes.

"You know, it's very sad."

"What's that?"

"It's very sad when your own daughter doesn't even know who her father is," he stared back and Alex saw her same eyes in his, matching almost perfectly.

"Daddy?"

***

Yugi ran all night, thinking that the feeling that he was in his stomach was leading him somewhere.  At most points he just felt like he was going around in circles, watching the same places pass by him each time he turns a corner.  Alex was hurt somewhere and he couldn't find her . . . he felt so helpless.  Neit followed Yugi smelling different objects and so called landmarks hoping to pick up Alex's scent on something.

Then a few minutes before sun rise, Yugi couldn't run any longer, he stopped to take a breath on the curb.  He leaned back on his hands and watched as the sun began to peek out from behind the tall buildings in the east.  Yugi looked down at Neit who curled up in his lap, nudging her head against his chest.  He patted her head and forced a smile, to try to convince himself that maybe Alex was just out walking around, and spilt something on her clothes . . .  But deep inside he knew that he was kidding himself.  

He knew that Alex wouldn't go anywhere with out Neit.  He knew that Alex wouldn't be going around tearing her clothes and scattering them around the park.  He knew that she was somewhere out in the world . . . with out a friend.  And no matter how hard she tried to hide it at times, Yugi knew that she always needed a friend by her side.  Yugi's smile began to fade from his face.  He picked up the cat and started to walk down the street toward Alex's house.  Maybe he could find something there.

***

"So you do recognize me."

"Well, I shouldn't exactly call you daddy, since you never really were one to me."

"What do you mean?"

"No, what do you mean?" Alex stood up from the bed and noticed a small piece of her cargo pants were missing, and a bad scrape on her leg, "You left mom when I wasn't even born!  You went on another one of your little bar hoping field trips and never came home.  She waited for you, night after night, but you never came home.  Sometimes, even when I just turned sixteen I would hear her crying in her sleep to you, Henry."

"Is that what she told you?  That I was a drunk and let you two to fend for yourselves?  She told you lies.  She probably fed them to you everyday, and you ate every single one of them up without question."

"What else was I suppose to believe, _Dad_?  You weren't ever there to tell me different!"

"You want the truth?"

"That would be nice, but I don't trust many people with black capes on that hit me over the head and drag me into a room that just doesn't set well with me."

"You don't remember this room do you?"

"Why should I?" she turned away from him.

"This was your room when you were first born."  Alex looked over her shoulder at the man behind her, "The truth was that I was there when you were born.  You were such a happy baby.  I couldn't ask for anything more, or for a more perfect babe.  Your dark brown eyes always shined with intelligence and your smile always plastered another smile on mine.  I worked so hard on your room, finding out that I was having a girl; I bought every pink or unicorn item that I could find.  I waited with anticipation for the day of your arrival.  And when it came I was so proud."

"Then why did you leave?"

"Your mother . . . and the bracelet that you wear around your wrist."

"What does the bracelet have to do with anything?"

"I'm a rare hunter, Alex.  So was my father, and as soon as you were old enough you were going to be one too.  I hunt for rare cards, and rare items.  When your mother and I were together, she knew nothing about rare hunters, until that one day that I saw her with the bracelet on.  I saw the marking and I knew that I had to get it back to . . . I just had to get it.

"She wouldn't let me near it.  Kept telling me it was too precious, and has been in her family for years.  And then I told her what it really was, a millennium item and how much power it held.  She still wouldn't let me have it.  She didn't trust her own husband.  I told her about my plans for you in the future and she ran out of the room, hearing nothing of it.  I suspected that she needed time to herself, so I left her alone, most of the time that is what we did when we had fights.  I left the house and when I got back; your mother had left, along with you in tow."

"Well, if you had the power of other millennium items, how did you not find us?"

"I couldn't see you two.  There was a special power protecting you from my sight."  Alex could feel her wrist glow and Amunet placing her hand on Alex's shoulder, whispering something to her.  "I couldn't be there for you because your mother never let me."

"I know why now," Alex lifted her head up from the bracelet, "Mom was Egyptian.  She was a descendent from Amunet's family who kept the bracelet.  And she knew all about it and about rare hunters . . . and never told me," Alex stared at him straight in the eyes, "She never had the chance, because you did eventually find us, didn't you?"

"I didn't . . . others had."  He finally sat down in one of the small pink chairs by what looked like a tiny tea table, "Some of the other hunters felt a presence.  A strong one, one that could only come from your item.  They never told me, until they came back with your mother.  They tried to get you to hand the bracelet over, but you wouldn't-"

"They didn't give me a choice about the matter!  I didn't want to give up the bracelet, because I just got it from mom.  Then the monster that . . . that took her just waged the whole duel on her.  And I lost!"

"That was the only way!"

"Oh please, Henry."

"Don't you ever call me that!  I am your father, so call me by that title!"

"I never knew why I was so into Egyptian history, or why I felt so comfortable with it.  It's because I am an Egyptian.  And I'm destined to guard the bracelet from rare hunters like you."

"I thought that your mother never told you about the bracelet."

"She didn't."

"Then how do you know all that?"

"Amunet."

"What?"

"Amunet, the spirit awoken from my millennium item.  She told me everything.  About you, and your search for power.  And I'm telling you my answer now, I'll never join you.  So don't waste your breath in asking."

"You're just like your mother, except I was hoping you would be wiser," he turned from her and walked out the door.  The door shut quickly and Alex ran to it, but couldn't get it open no matter how she tried.  She watched through a small window at her father talking to another figure in a black cape.  The figure turned towards her room and she could tell that it was the same man that beat her before.  Her father brought something out from his robes, and Alex could see a glint of gold as he placed it back underneath the waves of pitch black.

She slid down the side of the door facing back into her room, 'Now what?'

_'Now I tell you the whole story about the bracelet.'_

'The information would have been nice from the beginning, Amunet.  Especially the information about my mother wearing the bracelet.'

_'I never knew that she did.  You were the first to wear the bracelet and awaken me.  But I did know about what the bracelet is, I'm sorry._

'Why didn't you tell me?'

'_I didn't want you to get hurt just because you were trying to protect the bracelet.'_

'Well, I already did that, Amunet.  Too late now.'

_'I guess your right, Alex.  Well, I didn't come by the bracelet by mistake.  It had always been in my family because we were the ones chosen to protect it.  I never knew the power of the bracelet myself until I was trapped inside it._

_'It is very powerful, as I have said before.  It may be humanity's final hope for peace.'  _Alex walked over to the bed and laid back down to listen to the rest of the story, _'It has the power to heal, the power to bring peace to even the darkest hearts, and even to bring love into someone's life.  But it also has the power to do the opposite.  To kill, bring destruction and hatred into every place on the globe.  Your mother, and the people before her knew of this, but neither you nor I knew until now.  It took me over thousands of years to realize this.  I'm so sorry, I never told you sooner.'_

'Amunet?'

_'What is it Alex?'_

'Thank you for protecting us all those years from my father.  I just don't understand how you did.'

_'Who ever held the bracelet was always protected by my will or not.'_

Alex sighed, 'I guess it's up to me to save the world.'  She stared at the ceiling, 'I just wish I had a friend by my side right now.'

_'I know . . . I miss Yami just as much as you miss Yugi.'_

'I never got to say I was sorry, Amunet.  I never got to say what I felt.'

_'Somehow I think he already knows.  And if you keep heart, he will find you, and you will be together again.  Now, try to get some sleep.'_

'Amunet, I just slept by being knocked out.'

_'But this sleep will help, now go on.  Sleep.'  _Even though Alex tried to fight Amunet and sleep with in her mind, she eventually lost the battle and fell into a deep sleep.  Finally reaching her dream of calling out to Yugi, only standing a few feet from her outreaching arms.


	8. Things Come Into Light

Chapter 8: Things come into the Light

Yugi made it to Alex's home and looked through the windows to see if anyone was home.  It was a little later in the day since he didn't want to show up at dawn knocking on the door.  He spent the night at Joey's and set off right after he woke up.  Joey offered to come along, but Yugi felt as though he had to do this on his own.  Neit still followed Yugi, sometimes resting on his shoulder when she got lazy and didn't want to walk.

He thought it strange to see all the lights out, and knocked on the door.  "Hello?  I'm looking for Alex, I was wondering if she was doing alright," he tried to door, but it was locked.  Neit jumped down from his shoulder and walked around the house to the side where Alex's window was.  Yugi followed, but kept his eyes on the door, just in case someone was home and finally heard the knocking.  He finally took his glare away from the door and followed Neit back to Alex's window.

Neit stopped underneath the window sill and rubbed against the glass.  Yugi patted her on the head and tried the window, "It's worth a shot, Neit."  He opened the window without any problem and climbed inside.  Neit jumped on Alex's bed and curled down in the blankets.  "Come one Neit, there is no time to rest," Yugi looked around the room and wondered if it was always this trashed or if something else happened.  Clothes were everywhere and other items from around the room were thrown out from the drawers and table tops to find a place on the floor.

Yugi opened her bedroom door and headed out into the dark hallway.  He quickly turned on the bright hallway light.  Nothing seemed to be lit in the house, barely any windows, and if there were windows, none of them were any bigger then Alex's bedroom window.  He found his way down the hall to the living room and found nothing.  The room was so neat and tidy, like everything had its place.  Yugi went back into the hallway and into the only room that he hadn't been in, other then the bathroom, and that was Connie and Bill's room.  As he put his hand on the doorknob he heard some one come through the front door.  Yugi ran back into Alex's room and shut the door lightly, so no one would hear it.

"I told you that they would find a way to get her with out drawing suspicion to us.  Now were the worried foster parents of a lost girl."

"But you know it would have been much easier if you weren't so good at acting like a mean guy."  Yugi knew the voices; it was the voices of Alex's guardians.  "Come on, we have to go and get ready, the ceremony should start in about a day.  If Alex doesn't give us the bracelet, there is only one other option.  And I don't want it to resort to that; she's actually a pretty good kid."  Yugi heard them walk by the door and go into their room.  He quietly slipped out the window.

***

Later that day at school Yugi met up with the group.  "Hey you guys," Yugi said walking slowly up to the group.  Joey took out a piece of paper from the back of his jacket and flashed it in Yugi's face, "What do you think Yugi?"  

Yugi looked at the brightly colored piece of paper and read it in his mind, 'Dance this Friday in the gym.  Bring masks, it's Mardi Gras time!'

"That's nice Joey," Yugi put on his best fake smile and looked at them.  Joey and Tristin looked at each other and then back at Yugi, "Ok, you know we're not falling for it Yug'.  What's the matter?"

"It's about Alex," Yugi immediately lost his smile, "Joey, you already know what I found in the park, but I went over to her house before school today and went inside.  Her room was a mess and no one was home.  I was about to look in her guardian's room when they came home."

"Yugi, that isn't like you.  Sneaking into houses and all," Mai commented.

"I just had a bad feeling about the whole thing, Mai.  Anyway, I hid in Alex's room and I heard them talking about Alex like they knew where she is, and that something is going to happen to her in about a day.  I'm worried you guys."  The rest of the group looked back at him, with the same amount of worry and huddled together.

Joey suddenly pointed his finger up like he had an idea, "We'll ditch today!"

"Joey, I don't think we need to add anything more to Yugi's sorrow right now," Mai said to Joey as she put his finger back down.

"No, I meant that we could ditch and find a way into the house while they're gone so Yugi could sneak inside."

"Great plan, Joey, but how do we know when we could get in when they aren't looking?" Tristin asked with his arms crossed.

"I know when they leave and come back from work," Yugi said, "Alex told me."

"Then what's the problem?  Let's go," Joey lead the group back toward Alex's house as Mai rolled her eyes at him, "He would take any opportunity to get out of school."  Yugi smiled and nodded his head.  He plastered a serious look on his face as they all marched toward her home.

***

"They shouldn't be home, I saw both of them leave one right after the other," Yugi said through the bushes to the others.  They all nodded and followed Yugi out of the bushes; Yugi being the only one who made it out with out falling on another person.  He looked back at his friends who were tangled with in each other; all together being a mass of arms, legs and heads.  Yugi sweat dropped anime style, "Maybe you guys should have stayed in the bushes."

"Nonsense Yugi.  Alex is one of us, we want to help as much as we can," Tristin said stumbling out of the pile and putting a hand on Yugi's shoulder.  "Thanks you guys, now let's go, I don't want to waste anymore time."

They made their way to Alex's window.  For some reason or another it was locked and Yugi tapped lightly on the glass.  "So now what do we do, Yug?"

"Wait for a minute, Joey," Yugi waited patiently and then up popped Neit's head from the edge of the window.  "Neit, good.  Open the window, girl.  It's locked."

"Oh, come on Yugi, that cat isn't going to open the window for you."  Neit looked at Joey when he said that and tilted her head at him as if to say, 'Oh yeah?'  The cat sat back on her hind legs and reached for the hook that kept the window closed.  The latch unhooked and Yugi opened the window, "Great job girl!"  He patted her on the head as he climbed through.

Joey looked at the cat with surprise written all over his face, and Neit turned and put her tail straight up in the air at him.  She jumped off the ledge of the window sill and pranced after Yugi, sneezing at Joey on her way out the bedroom door.

"Now, there's something you don't see everyday," Mai said as she jumped through the window.

"Although it doesn't seem very surprising for a cat to outsmart, Joey," Tristin said hopping in after Mai.

"Hey, I resent that remark, Tristin," Joey said bringing up the rear.  "Will you guys hurry up please?" Yugi said poking his head from around the corner.

They followed him down the hall and toward a room.  He opened the door and looked inside.  There were no windows and it was pitch black, "Hey, do you guys see a light switch?"

"I think I found one," Yugi turned the light switch on and found himself in a small room, barely enough room for the bed and another door.  "Hurry, everybody try to fit in here and shut that door.  Yugi walked to the edge of the bed where there was a black book with a pen nearby.  He opened it and began to read:

_It's been a few months now.  I don't think that the girl even suspects that we are what she fears the most.  Rare Hunters.  I doubt that she even knows what rare hunters are, or what we do at our 'jobs'.  The bracelet is hard to get to, she never takes it off, and whenever she leaves she takes it with her._

_I'm the one person in this household that she trusts; Bill is doing a great job of making himself the bad guy, drawing attention away from me.  Hopefully our plan will work and she'll sneak out again tonight.  Then, we will have her.  And if she doesn't give the bracelet up by the time we start our ceremony . . . she will die.  It's a pity really; I was starting to actually see her like a real daughter._

Yugi thought for a minute and then realized that the entry was only made last night, by Connie.  "Guys, we need to find Alex now," the group looked at him, "We're dealing with Rare Hunters."

"No way!" Joey stood back in surprise.  Neit slipped under the group's feet and pawed at the door, and started to scratch slightly.  "What is it Neit?" Yugi leaned down to her level and she looked at him with pleading eyes, 'She's down there.'  Yugi nodded at the small cat and turned to the rest of the group, "Guys, Mai, we need to get some black capes."

"Already as good as found," Joey held four black capes in his hands.

"Joey, where did you find them?"

"In the hallway closet."

"Don't you think they are going to miss them?"

"Not if they are actually looking for these ones specifically.  There were hundreds of these things in there."

"And you were looking in the closet why, Joey?" Yugi asked crossing his arms.

"Looking . . . for . . . clues . . .?"  Joey sweat dropped as the others took the capes.  They all put one on and opened the other door, there was a dark stairwell leading down to a small slightly faded light.  Yugi put Neit in a bag and slug it over his side.

"And we're taking the cat why, Yugi?"

"Neit may come in handy, and plus, she is just about as worried as I am about Alex."  Joey rolled his eyes as they all put the hoods over their heads, turned the lights off and headed down the stairs.

***

It was quiet in Alex's room/ prison cell, all except for the light banging of a small rubber ball on the side of the wall.  Alex soon got tired of just sitting and, after finding the ball, she began to entertain herself.  "You know, if they're going to kidnap me; they should at least keep me entertained," Alex said to no one in particular. Then as if she asked for it the door to her room opened and some one she didn't expect was standing before her.  "Hey kid, how are you doing?" Bill lifted the hood of his cloak.

"I should have known you had something to do with this, _Bill_," Ale sneered at him.  Bill stepped toward her, "You know, you have to give up the bracelet."

"Like I would ever listen to you," Bill jumped forward and pinned her down on the ground.  Alex struggled and looked toward the door, it was wide open.  The from out of no where another black cloaked figure walked through the door.  The hood was pulled back and Alex saw Connie staring down at her.  Alex started to yell at her, "Please Connie, please help me.  Don't let him hurt me.  Please Connie."

"Shhh . . . It will be alright Alex," Connie pulled out a needle and shot Alex in the top portion of the arm.  "Please no, Connie.  No please."

"Alright, let her up.  You have twenty-four hours to decide on your fate, Alex," Bill let Alex up and walked out the door.  Connie soon followed, "Just give the bracelet up."

"You bitch, I was so close to trusting you."  Connie closed the door behind her.  Alex got off the floor and ran toward the door.  She banged her fists on the strong door, "Where's my mother?"

Outside the door Connie locked the door and turned to face Alex's father, "I'm sorry, Henry.  But if she doesn't give the bracelet up, I can't give her the antidote."

"How long until it starts to affect her?"

"Not long," Connie looked toward the door, "You know, she's a good kid, Henry.  I just hope she will come to her senses before . . ."

"I know."  The both walked away from Alex's door and down the hall.


	9. The Escape

Chapter 9: The Escape

Alex didn't know where to go, as if she could go anywhere.  Once in awhile she could hear people laughing as they walked by her room; some even looked in through the window to see the prisoner.  Alex often looked down at her arm and rubbed the spot where they gave her the shot.  And if she felt brave enough she would look outside the small window and tried to guess which one of the other doors led to her freedom, or to her mother.

From her door she saw a group of four black caped individuals coming toward her door.  She backed up as the door opened and they all stepped in.  "Now what do you want?  I've already told you, I'm not going to cooperate!" Alex yelled at the group of them.  The one in the middle put down a bag and stepped back, "Now what, a bomb threat?"

From out of the bag, Neit popped her head out and walked over to Alex.  "Neit?  Then that means," she looked up at the figures.  The middle figure uncloaked his hood to reveal his face, "Yugi!"  Alex smiled and didn't care who the others where, she ran toward him and flung herself into his arms.  "Yugi, I'm so sorry about what I said.  I . . . Just forgive me, please.  I've missed you so much."

Yugi hugged her back and buried his head into her hair, "Alex, I've missed you too."  The others looked on at the two, finally pulling back their hoods.

"Isn't this cute?"  All of them turned toward the door where Alex's father stood watching them.  Neit ran forward and hissed at the man.  "Get out of our way," Yugi stood in front of Alex.

"I don't doubt that you can beat me in a physical battle, but . . ."  before he could finish his sentence, Alex fell to the floor.  "Alex, you alright?"

"It's the stuff they poked me with.  I can't get up."

"What stuff?"

"Ask my father," Alex looked up at the man.

"Your father?" Yugi looked at him, "What is wrong with her?"

"Duel me.  If you win, you take her.  If I win, I keep her here.  And you never come back."

"Answer my question, what is wrong with her?"

"She is poisoned.  And has limited time, so I would agree to the duel challenge as soon as possible.  Or it may be too late."  Yugi looked down at Alex who was now gasping for breath.  "Where is the dueling field?"

***

"Let's duel!" Yugi yelled from one side of the dueling zone.  _Yugi, you sure you don't want my help on this?_

'I'm sure, Yami.  I got to do this on my own,' he looked down at Alex's body.  She smiled up at him and weakly held a thumbs up to him.  He smiled back at her, 'For Alex.'

"Let's get started, Yugi.  For my daughter's future is on the line."

"It's strange that you say that it is your daughter that is on the line and not the bracelet, which I'm sure you are really after."

"If I win this duel, I will be able to give her the antidote to the poison flowing inside her veins.  Then, get the bracelet."

"And if you lose?"

"You will take her as promised, but I doubt that any hospital will have the anti toxin.  We both start this duel with two-thousand life points."  Yugi glared at him, 'There has to be a cure.  There just has to be another cure.'

"Your move, Yugi!"  Yugi drew his cards and though hard, 'I have to get her out of here.  But first I got to get into this game.  Let's see:  Feral Imp, Sogen, Mystic Clown, Koumori Dragon, and Just Desserts.'  He took the Mystic Clown and placed it face down, "I place this monster card face down and end my turn."

"All right, my turn," Henry put a monster card down in defense mode.  "There you go."

"You seem very sure of yourself."

"You would be too, Yugi.  If you had my hand," his mouth grew into a wicked smile.

Yugi drew another card and got the Celtic Guardian.  He places Just Desserts face down and Feral Imp in defense.  "End my turn."

Henry drew another card from his pile and put Ryu-Kishin in attack.  He looked up at Yugi, and both of them silently agreed that they didn't even have to say when it was the other's turn.  They could both feel it.  Yugi drew Monster reborn and waited for Henry to make his next move.  Henry drew another card not saying a word and put a card in the trap space face down.

Yugi drew the next monster card Ansatsu, turns Mystic Clown to attack the Ryu-Kishin Monster, bringing Henry's life points to 1500.  (A/N:  I'm pretty much just going to go back and forth on the whole turn thing right now, so please just hang in there.)  Henry drew once again, and plays Battle Ox in attack mode to take out the Mystic Clown, bringing Yugi's life points down to 1800.  Yugi grimaced then drew the magic card Book of Secret Arts.  He placed it face down and plays Ansatu in attack.  'At least we are matched with attack points,' Yugi inwardly sighed to himself.

Henry played a magic card face down.

Yugi drew the Dragon Capture Jar, and felt that it was very important for him to put it face down of course.  Henry drew a card and placed it face up, Destroyer Golem.  He sacrificed both it and the Battle Ox, "You know what I'm doing, don't you Yugi?  I'm bringing out the most powerful card in my deck.  Be ready for the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"  

"How can that be?  Only Kaiba has the Blue-Eyes White dragons."  But there it stood, and yugi just kept on fighting, no matter what the odd, he had to keep going.  The huge white dragon roared toward Yugi, and as Yugi moved his hand toward the trap card that he had face down, "Wait a moment Yugi.  I also bring my Lord of Dragons in attack, which protects my dragon from any trap or magic you would use against it.  Now, Blue Eyes, attack Anastu!"  With one bright blast, Yugi's monster was taken out and he sat and watched as his life points went down to 500 points.

Yugi looked down at Alex, who could barely keep her eyes open.  Mai looked down at her and then looked back up at Yugi.  'She can't hold on much longer,' she mouthed up to him.  "Hey!" Yugi yelled at Henry from across the battle zone, "How about we raise the stakes?  If I win I get the antidote, but if I lose, you win my Millennium piece along with my skills."

"Yugi, no," Alex cried weakly, "Please no."

"Agreed, although I don't see much hope of you succeeding."

"But I do," Yugi held up the card he had been waiting for, the Dark Magician.  "I play it in attack mode and combine it with the Book of Secret Arts.  And take your Lord of the Dragons out with my Feral Imp."  Henry's life points went down to 1400.

"Even with that, my Blue Eyes is still stronger, go!  Destroy his Dark Magician!"

"Don't you remember my trap card that I was fingering earlier?  With your Lord of Dragons gone, I get to use it.  It is the Dragon Capture Jar Card, taking your Dragon into defense mode.  Just weak enough for my powered up Dark Magician to take it out."

"No, my Blue Eyes!"

"And since you are unprotected, I will attack you with my feral Imp to take all but one hundred of your life points out!"  Henry fell to his knees, "How can this be?"

"And I can also use Monster Reborn to bring back your Blue Eyes . . . on my side."

"Wait!" Henry yelled putting down his cards, "I give up, don't take my Blue Eyes.  I give up, you've won."

Yugi and Henry got down from the playing zone and Yugi ran over to Alex.  "Give me the antidote.  I've won, give it to me!"  Henry threw a vile at him and he gave it to Alex immediately.  "I've never been so happy to see you," Alex smiled at him, "What took you so long?"

He smiled at her with tears in his eyes and then his face turned immediately to worry as Alex closed her eyes and started to squint in pain.  "What-" he turned to face her father, but he was already gone, "What did he give her?" Mai held Alex's head in her hands.  "Alex," Yugi grabbed Alex from Mai's arms and started to rock her.  "Come on, Alex, please."

Yugi could fell Alex's body grow cold, but at the same time feel heat coming from a source close to his wrist and saw her bracelet glowing.  He looked at her face and the eyes opened, but it wasn't her.  "Amunet?  What happened to Alex?"  Amunet climbed out from his arms and sat on the ground.

"She's fighting for her life, Yugi," suddenly she held her chest, looked at her hand on her chest, and slowly picked up her head from her hand toward Yugi's eyes, "I . . . I . . ."

"Amunet, what's wrong?"

"Yugi, I'm sorry."

"What are you talking about?" Yugi said grabbing her shoulders, "What do you mean you are sorry?"  He was becoming hysterical, tears were streaming down his face, "Where is Alex?!"

"She . . . Yugi, I can't feel her presence any more.  I don't think she's here any longer."  Yugi crawled back from Amunet, and held his knees into his chest.  Mai turned into Joey's chest, crying her eyes out.  Joey held her head close to him and put his head on top of hers, trying to hold back tears of his own.  Tristan hit his fist into the wall nearby, "I'm so sorry Yugi," Amunet repeated.

"There has to be a way, Amunet!" Yugi yelled at her, "You healed me in the park.  Why can't you heal her?"

"You were only injured . . . she's beyond that."

"No one is beyond that!  Help her, please!"

"I can't . . ."

"Please!"  Amunet closed her eyes as a tear trickled down her face.  Yugi could feel her presence flee away as the body fell to the floor.  He picked her back up, and saw that it was Alex, or what was left of her, _Amunet did what she could.  It's up to you now, Yugi.  It's up to you to see and wait._  He could hear Yami trying to tell him, comfort him.

Yugi looked at her face and stroked the side of it.  "Alex, I just got you back.  I just found you.  Found . . . love," he whispered in her ear and kissed her softly on the lips.  He felt a slight spark in the moment that he touched her lips with his own, "Come on, Yugi.  We can't do anything for her now."

"Wait Joey," Yugi concentrated on her face.  Then the others soon followed his lead and formed a circle around her.  They each bowed their heads and closed their eyes.  Then Yugi heard a small sigh, "Why is everyone so sad.  Isn't time for celebration?"  Yugi opened his eyes to meet with Alex's.  "Alex?"

"Who where you expecting?"  Yugi smiled big and held her close.  "God, I thought I lost you."

"You did for a minute there.  It was pretty cool, why did you have to bring me back?" she joked with him.  The others around them began to chuckle, "Well for one, I have to ask you a question."

"And what would that be?"

"Maybe it isn't the best time, but . . . would you like to go to the dance with me this Friday?"

"As long as you do something for me."

"What?"

"Forgive me for being such a dumb butt."  Yugi smiled and hugged her tighter.  They both sat on the floor until they felt it was time to get up.  Alex was walking hand in hand with Yugi until she saw a small gold item on the floor.  It was a pocket watch, with an inscription on the back reading: "I'm sorry."

Alex only gave it a glance, stepped over it and left it lying on the ground.  It was the only thing left in the room, glistening with the little light that was illuminating the room.

A/N:  Sorry it was so un-detailed.  (If that is a word)  I was writing it about ten –thirty last night.  Hope you liked it anyway.  Well, please remember to **_review_** and don't worry, there is a lot more coming.  Keep coming back to check on updates!  See you all later!


	10. Talks and Discoveries

Chapter 10: Talks and Discoveries

A/N:  This chapter is pretty sappy in the beginning, but don't be fooled I'll leave that for the next chapter.  This one can be graphic, not sexually graphic, but like murder scene graphic, so be prepared.

"So, do you think I'll be getting another visit from a social services agent?" Alex asked as she put the rest of her valuables into her bag.  She looked up at the others who were helping her clean out her room before Bill and Connie got back.  "Why would you say that?" Yugi asked handing her, her deck from a drawer.

"Well, since Connie and Bill are out of the picture, I have no where to go.  And without a home, I'm pretty much at another house by sundown," Alex slung her bag over her shoulder, "And that means I leave all of you behind.  And I'll have to figure out if this new family is after the bracelet or is just a family in need."  The others jumped out of the window and Yugi followed.

Yugi sighed and looked up at Alex from the ground, "You know that no matter where you go, I will always be there."  He offered his hands up to help Alex down.

"What, are you going to stalk me or something, Yugi?" Alex smiled and happily accepted his help.  She meant to gracefully touch the ground with her feet, instead nearly knocking Yugi over as she tripped out her window.  Yugi laughed a little then looked in her eyes, "If need be I will follow you till the ends of the earth.  And if Yami and Amunet could find each other after thousands of years, then I think that we have a very good chance."

"Hey, you two love birds coming?  We're going to catch a movie until the heat calms down," Tristin waved at them from the group of three ahead.

Yugi shook his head, "No thanks, I think that we're going to take a walk together."  Tristin shrugged his shoulders and walked with the other two toward the inner part of Domino.  Alex looked at him with an amused grin on her face.  "What?"

"It's just the way you were talking.  It was as if you and I were some sort of item, Yugi Motu," Alex said walking in front of him, backwards so she could face him.  He smiled, "You mean that we aren't?  I thought that risking my life and talent would qualify enough for me to be a good boyfriend."

"Well," Alex stopped him as they were at the edge of the park entrance, "I never heard the question 'Alex would you be my girlfriend?' or 'Do you want to go steady?' ever enter in any of our conversations."  Yugi rocked back and forth on his feet as he stepped around Alex and into the park, "I thought we were going to take a walk."

"Don't you try to change the subject Yugi!" Alex ran up to his side.

"Who's changing the subject, I just thought we were taking a walk."

"Yes, but you never did answer my last statement."

"And?"

"And . . . I thought that it was a good point that would need some answering.  Don't you?"  Yugi kept his head forward watching the path ahead as it twisted and turned.  "Yugi?  YUGI!"

"Hmm?"

"I hate it when you do this," Alex hit him in the arm.

"Do what?"

"Take me around in circles like this.  You never answer my thoughts."

"Aren't you supposed to answer those yourself?"

"Yugi!"

"What?"  He laughed at how frustrated she was getting and held her hand.  "If nothing else, I'll tell you this.  I'm looking for the right moment.  I never knew how valuable you were to me until you weren't here to touch or to see anymore."  He turned her to face him, "I don't want to lose you to some one else."

Alex narrowed her eyes at him, 'I've heard that somewhere before.'

_How about in your dream.__  You told him the exact same thing in your dream._

"Yugi, you don't have to worry about that.  I'll never become someone else's, because my heart can only belong to one."

"And who could that one be?" Yugi asked in a playful tone.

"*sigh* I just don't know yet," Alex said in a sarcastic voice as she turned away from him.  She looked up at the sun as it was climbing down the sky and into the trees above her head.  Yugi came up behind her and put his arms around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides.  He softly kissed her cheek from the side, making her lightly giggle.  'I never knew that I could giggle.'

"If you think this is going to help me make up my mind, it's not," she turned toward him.

"Then what is?"

"I'm waiting for the right time," she stepped out of his arms and walked toward town.  "Come on, I want to see what new cards your grandfather got in."  Yugi walked behind her shocked, 'She turned my trick right back on me.'

_'She is pretty good Yugi.  So was Amunet in our time.'_

'Quiet Yami."  The two walked back close together, almost stepping in time as they made their way to the shop.

***

As soon as they made their way to the front door and opened it, Alex knew immediately that there was something wrong.  Yugi's grandfather was on one of the chairs and none other than Angie seating him opposite.  "Alex, so glad you're alright," Angie stood up and looked over at Alex.

"Why wouldn't I be, I was out with my friend Yugi.  What's going on here?"

"You've been gone for a while; every one thought that you were kidnapped."

"Some bullies kept me away for a while, they poked me with what I think was a drug for fun," she showed Angie the bruise, "And then when I woke up, Yugi found me in the park."

"We were worried and after I got the call today."

"What call?"

"I was at your home today, people were complaining about some noises, and they were worried.  When I went inside, there were bodies.  Two of them."

Alex's eyes bulged out, "Who?"

"We didn't know at first.  Their fingers were gone and their teeth were also- excuse me."  It looked like she was about to gag, then composed herself again, "The only way we could identify them is their wallets that were left behind in their back pockets.  The criminal who did that was clumsy enough to do that.  They were your guardians, Alex.  We need you down at the station to find out if that is who they really are, and to check you story.  But only look at the bodies if your stomach can take it."

"My stomach could take almost anything you throw at it, but they think I'm a suspect?" Alex turned to go with her.

"Not really, if you were held up by some bullies, like you said, then you have nothing to worry about.  And I believe you; I wouldn't bring charges against you.  Another thing, Alex.  If these are your guardians, then you'll have to be put in another home-"

"Wait," Yugi's grandfather stood up and approached Angie, "If she has no place to go, then I will be more then happy to take her.  She has been through so much; I think that staying with a familiar face will help.  Don't you think so Alex?"

Alex smiled at the old man, "It would help more then you'll ever know."

"Alright then," Angie said from the door, "I'll get the paper work all done, and until that is done, you are free to stay here."

Alex went over to Yugi's grandfather and gave him a huge hug, "Thank you so much!  I swear I'll never be a pain."

"I never thought you would be," he let her go.

"Now, we got to go, Alex," Angie motioned toward the door.

"Um, can Yugi come with me?  For support?"  Yugi looked at her and gave her a half smile.

"Of course, come on," he took the two out to the car and drove toward the station.

***

At the station Yugi and Alex entered holding tight to one another's hand.  Angie, along with another officer led them to one of the back rooms.  In the room they had to check out Alex's story, and the only way to do that was with a polygraph.  She told them that some people took her and gave her an injection of some kind and she was found by Yugi.  All was true, so nothing showed up.  She couldn't tell them about the rare hunters, they wouldn't believe her.  They told her that she passed and she was let into the next room.

She felt like there were millions of tiny snowflakes touching the back of her neck all at once as soon as she entered.  She led over to two bags and as soon as they were unzipped, she knew them, and had to turn away.  She brought herself to look back.   'That's Connie, but that isn't Bill,' she looked back at the male on the other table, 'That's my father.'

"Alex?  Are you alright?" Angie touched her shoulder.  

"That's them.  Although, I can't be to sure about the male.  He looks familiar, but something tells me that it isn't Bill for sure."

Angie nodded, "It's hard to tell in this condition."  She helped the two teens out of the station and back to the shop.  "I'll be in touch, Alex," Angie waved as she drove off.  Yugi put his protective arm around Alex's shoulders and walked into the shop.  Yugi's grandfather was finishing closing the shop, but Alex and Yugi just slipped up to his room to talk.

"Why didn't you tell them that that was your father?"

"Do you think that they would have believed me?  They believe that I've never seen my father.  How would it sound if I said that I did when he and a whole bunch of rare hunters kidnapped me?"

"But that was Connie?"

"Yes," Alex held her head and sat down on his bed, "Why would they kill her . . . and my father?  They followed orders-"

"But not well enough," Yugi looked down at her.  He went over a kneeled in front of her, "Are you alright?"

"I would think that I would be happy that they were gone, but, you know . . . I never knew my father, and I guess I never will.  And if they can do this to their own kind, what can they do to my mother?"  Yugi held the end of her chin to keep her head up, "We will get her back."

"How do you know, Yugi?"

"I got you back didn't I?  And all I needed was my heart to find you.  I think that is all we need to find your mother."

"You know," Alex said kind of laughing, "I still don't have a dress for this Friday."  They both smiled and leaned on one another's foreheads.


	11. The Dance

Chapter 11: The Dance

A/N: This chapter is pretty much all romance with Yugi and Alex.   I labeled this as such and I hope to fulfill the title of a romance fic.  Anyway, hope it is good, I'm a little sick, so if it sucks then I'll try to rewrite it.  But I will not rewrite it if it is sappy, because you all know that is all the romance I write.   Good and Sappy as hell!  Enjoy :)

            "Well, is she ready yet, Yugi?  We still have to pick up Mai," Joey tapped his foot impatiently while leaning against the wall.

            "No we don't Joey.  Mai came earlier today to help Alex with her dress and makeup.  I thought she said that she told you."

            "That girl never tells me anything," Joey came over and sat across from Yugi.

"Is Tristin coming to the dance?"

"Yeah, he found a girl named . . . wait, he didn't tell me who he was going with," Joey thought for a minute then started to stare at the ceiling in deep thought.  He eventually gave up with a shrug with his shoulders and looked over at Yugi.  They looked at one another for a while in silence, until the burning question in the back of Joey's mind couldn't be stood any longer.  (A/N:  I know that was awkward wording, but please bear with me.)  "Yugi, is everything alright with Alex?"

            "Well, when she found her father was dead, or murdered rather, she couldn't bring herself to cry.  Something tells me that she will cry one day for her father, but right now she doesn't know how to feel for the loss.  I don't even think that she takes it as a loss."

"But she's alright?"

"I think so."

"Do you love her?"

"Joey!" Yugi leaned back in the chair, trying desperately to hide his blushing.

/////To Alex's Room////// (A/N: Whenever there is a scene change in this chapter, I will put up the Thanks!)

"So, how are you holding up underneath all this hair?" Mai asked Alex as she flung the young girl's hair every which way.

"Well, let's just say that I'm hoping that I'll still have feeling in my scalp after you're done."

"I'm just trying to figure out which way your hair will look the best for our little Yugi."  She took a hair band from the nearby dresser and tied the hair in a small ponytail in the back of her head, "Now the magic begins."

"When did it begin that Yugi's and my relationship was public?"

"So you two _do_ have a relationship?"

"Who said that?" Alex blushed into the mirror.

///////////////

"Come on Yugi.  Everyone knows that you and Alex have the hots for one another."

"Joey, I really don't think that it is any of your business, now is it?"

"I'm your best friend Yugi.  Of course it is my business."  Yugi rolled his eyes and started to take Joey's place of pacing the room.

///////////////

Mai smiled at her, "I don't remember Alex.  Did we even start on your makeup, because I think we put on way too much blush on."

"Shut up Mai.  I didn't say that we do have a relationship."

"You love him don't you?"

"Love him?" Alex's face paled more then it grew with blush.  'I haven't told anyone except Neit about this.  Should I?'

_'Stop trying to keep everything inside, Alex.  Trust, you can finally trust.'_

Alex smiled and her blush started to return.  "I knew it!  A girl's intuition never fails!" Mai turned her around in the chair, "Now, let's get your face painted and we could get going.  I bet Joey is running around the living room because he has nothing better to do."

"Please go light on the 'paint' Mai.  I still want to be myself."

"You got it," Mai winked and started on Alex's face, "but can't you take that bracelet off just for tonight?"

Alex just shook her head, "Alright, alright.  Just keep your head still."

////Meanwhile, Joey and Yugi///////

"Come on, Yug.  Why don't you answer me?"

"I just don't think that it is really any of your business, Joey.  I'll tell you when the time is right."  Yugi thought for a minute, 'How many times did I hear that last night on our walk?'  Then they both looked up as they heard the bedroom door open.  "About time," Joey said in almost a yawn.  Both boys stared at the staircase waiting for the two to come down.

Mai came down first.  She wore a dark green silk dress that went down to her ankles.  The dress fit perfectly and hugged all the right places; at least Joey seemed to think so.  There were slits going up both sides along the legs that went up to her mid thighs.  The dress didn't have straps, but had a piece of material wrapping around the back of her neck and locking in place on the front of her dress. Her hair was up in a bun held together with two black chopsticks, which matched her black shoes.  The shoes had thick heels that weren't very tall and the black straps weaved over her foot and between her big and the other toes.  She walked slowly down and then took her place next to Joey.  "You look great," he said placing the corsage around her wrist and kissing her on the cheek.

"You better say that.  Especially after Alex comes down those stairs, I did a great job if I do say so myself," Mai folded her arms in front of her chest proudly.  Yugi laughed to himself as he looked at Mai beaming in pride.  Mai tapped her foot and called up the stairs.  "Come on, Alex.  I bet you-know-who is dying to see you!  Don't make me come up there and drag you down.  You know I will with all that work I did!"

After a few seconds someone could be heard coming down the stairs, "Alright!  I'm coming down!  Don't push me!"  And soon piece-by-piece a picture of a beautiful girl began to unfold descending the stairs.  The feet were in low silver heels.  The silver material seemed to flow over the top of the foot fastened with a black buckle.  The silver shoes were then covered with the flowing black material falling from the waistline.  The black material seemed to shower forward from her thin waist.  The black top fit tight around her, and the tiny straps held up the front of her dress.  Around her neck was a small silver necklace that came down to the top of her dress.  And finally her hair was up in a tight bun, but had a few pieces of hair that fell so it would frame her face.  "So, what do you guys think?" Alex asked as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"You look great!" Mai squealed and hugged her 'masterpiece,' "What do you think, Yugi?"  Alex looked up from her hands to see Yugi awestruck.  "Yugi?"

"Uh . . . ummm . . . you look like . . ."

"Come on Yug' spit it out!" Joey hit the back of his buddy to try and get his words out.

Yugi stepped forward from the force of the blow right in front of Alex, "You know, Alex," he rubbed the back of his head anime style.

"Why don't you tell me, Yugi?"

"Well, it's kind of embarrassing to say."

"Why?"  Yugi turned toward Mai and Joey who were staring straight at them, almost right in their faces.  Alex cleared her throat and the two left the room.  "Well?"

"You won't just let me by will you, Alex?"

"Of course not.  So, what do you think?"

Feeling a little more comfortable, Yugi stepped forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "There is no way to describe an Egyptian goddess."  Alex blushed and looked down at their hands, which were entangled with each other.  Yugi and Alex smiled and walked out the door and toward the dance.

***

As soon as they arrived, both Joey and Yugi looked over the hall for Tristin.  "I don't see him yet, Joey."

"Who are you looking for?" Alex asked holding on to Yugi's arm.

"Tristin, he never told us who he was coming with."

"I have a really good suspicion who it is," Alex pointed toward the corner.  In the corner both Tristin and Joey's sister, Serenity, were talking to one another.  Serenity laughed at something that Tristin said and laid her hand on his arm.

"I'm going to pulverize him!" Joey started to walk over to Tristin until Mai grabbed him back.

"Joey, you said you would dance with me, so dance," she dragged him to the floor as he glanced back to the corner.  As Mai tried her best to swing Joey fast around, he couldn't help but crank his neck to see how his little sister is being treated.  He slowly began to calm a little as he saw them enter the dance floor and dance right beside them.

"How you doing, Joey?  I didn't see you guys come in here," Tristin said dancing beside Joey.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, Tristin," Joey glared at him from the side of his eyes.

Soon enough a slow song started and Alex turned toward Yugi, "So, you know how to dance?"

"Let's see," Yugi and Alex went out to the floor and started to sway with the music.  Alex put her arms around his neck as he put his arms around her waist.  She put her head on his shoulder and prayed that the song wouldn't end, but after a brief moment it, as most things do, ended.  They separated and walked around the floor to find the others.  No such luck, the others were either too far buried beneath the sea of students, or somewhere outside in the night air taking a 'breather.' ;)

Later in the evening, from the other side of the gym there was another person that looked on the couple with envy.  He watched as Yugi smelled her hair every once in a while and made her laugh and smile with only a whisper in her ear.  He slowly made his way over as they were dancing to another slow song.  Alex was talking to Yugi face to face when the young man came up on their side, "Do you mind if I cut in?"

Alex looked at the boy, but then looked back at Yugi, "I'm sorry, but I pretty much promised my slow songs to Yugi."

"Well, I think that you would be missing out on something special," the boy pushed his hand out toward her.  Yugi looked at him with a glare, but Alex stayed strong and stuck with her decision.  "Even though that may be true, I'll have to pass."

He looked at her with a deep glare, and something in Alex made her brain scream caution.  She looked into the boy's eyes to try and find something to tell her who he is, but all she received was a cold, foreboding feeling.  "Alex?" Yugi looked at her, "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Alex ripped her eyes from the boy's and looked back at Yugi, "I guess I thought I saw something _memorable_ to say the least." The boy stomped away only to be confronted with his date, a short girl with a big attitude.  They started to begin an argument that raged between the two and attracted a crowd of students.  Alex took this opportunity to grab Yugi's hand and lead him out one of the gym doors.  "Alex, what are you doing?  Where are we going?"

"I was thinking that we could go for a walk," she kept hold of his hand heading toward the hill near the high school.

"When the dance is going on?"

"Why not?" she smiled at him and he followed.  They eventually made their way up to the high point of the hill, where there was a blanket already spread out.  "So, what is so important that you had to drag me all the way up here for?"

Alex looked at him then looked up, "Yugi, Amunet once told me that whatever happens is meant to be.  No matter how small or big the event is or was, it was always written to happen in history."

"Where are you going with this?"

"Well, I think that this is the perfect time don't you?"

"For what?"

"Us . . . and this," Alex leaned forward and pressed her lips lightly against his.  He couldn't believe what was happening for a minute, but then slowly began to give his own pressure to the kiss.  She touched the side of his face so gently that it seemed like it was only the light sands of Egypt slowly sweeping by.  He placed his hand on her back to give more support, and deepen the kiss.  They both eventually stopped and looked into one another's eyes.  "So do you know who my heart belongs to now?"

"I'll only answer that question if you answer mine."

"What is your question then?"

"Will you take my heart to keep and hold for all eternity?"

Alex smiled and placed her forehead on his, "Since you already have mine, I think it is only fair that I take yours."  They heard the faint whisper of music from the dance below as they both began to sway in one another's arms to the light music.  Alex couldn't help but kiss his lips again; they called to her, as her heart called out to him every moment that she is away from him.  She knew from then on, that their bond of traded hearts could never be broken.

People, even the Egyptian gods, could try to break them, but nothing could tear what they had at the moment when their lips connected.  At the moment when nothing else in their worlds mattered, other then the other person in their arms.  After their brief kisses and chuckles they sat down on the blanket and watched the night sky in each other's arms.  "Yugi, why didn't you give up on me?"

"What do you mean?"

"When I first came to Domino.  Why didn't you just walk away like so many others had?"

"I felt that you were more then you appeared to be.  I was determined to make that a truth.  And I did."

"Although you didn't expect rare hunters and everything else that came with me, did you?"

"Now that, I didn't expect, no."  Alex giggled again and kissed him on the cheek, "Sometimes I wonder how things are meant to be, but it never keeps me from thanking god for what they are.  And how you are and always will be my friend.  And how you became something so much more."

"Sometimes I think about the same thing too.  But as you said, I would never ask for something different."  Alex leaned against Yugi's chest and heard the air enter and escape his lungs.  "Are we going back to the dance?"

"I like it our here better," Alex said snuggling up to her date, "Especially since I spent so much time on this place."

"I thought that you had this planned, or that we were stealing someone else's blanket."

"Now, would I do that?" Alex looked up at Yugi's face.

"I'm not totally sure . . . would you?"

"Of course no- well, matters on the person we're stealing from."

"Oh, it's 'we' now?"

"Sure it is, I always need my partner in crime," Alex laid her head back on Yugi's chest and closed her eyes.  He kissed the top of her head and watched the stars and sky.  After a half hour he saw the students starting to leave the gym and was about to wake up Alex.  "I would wait, Romeo," Yugi looked up to see the same boy from the dance approach him.

"Too late, I'm already awake," Alex looked at the boy.  Yugi stood up just in case the boy wanted to try something.  Alex took his hand and stood up beside him, "Something is wrong.  Amunet is warning me in my mind."   The boy looked at her wrist and noticed that she had the bracelet on still, but it was underneath the corsage that Yugi gave her.  "You never take that off do you, Alex?"

"I don't think that is any of your business jerk," Alex looked behind him at his approaching date and pieced something together.  "It's you.  I knew that I saw something in our eyes.  You're the one who took my mother, and your date is a rare hunter.  I saw you both look into my room when I was imprisoned.  I always thought of you as an older, sick bastard, but I guess I was wrong . . . about the older part."

"And it's time that you come back, Alex.  Come and take your father's place.  I bet that you would do so much better then he.  And we could finally complete his last wish . . . that you would be my wife when you came of age.  And guess what, it's time."

"What?!" Yugi and Alex both yelled in unison.  'Like that will happen,' Alex thought to herself.


	12. Desicions

Chapter 12: Decisions

            A/N:  Thank you so much for all that reviewed!  I am always glad to see so many reviews, especially when they have constructive criticism.  I want to give a special thanks to Taiya, who reviewed and not only gave me some tips, but also gave me a few ideas! ;)  Anyway, thanks again, and please excuse me if my detail is not what it should, I'm still trying to work on that and my grammar.  Happy days!  Enjoy!

            "What?!" Alex and Yugi both yelled in unison.  The boy smiled at them, and stepped closer to Alex.  

"Alex it was your father's last wish," the boy's cold eyes pierced through her flesh like a knife and into her soul.

            "Like I would care, moron.  My father had no right to come into my life, he should have just left me be.  I was better off in not knowing he was still out there.  First you ruin my life, try to kill me, and now you want to marry me?  How screwed up are you people?"

            "Alex, it's not your decision-"

"Like hell it's not!" Alex yelled into his face, "It's my life and my heart . . . that belongs to some one else."  The boy looked at her then glared at Yugi.  "I mean, think of this before you act.  I don't even know your name and you're pushing me into this.  Which I hope you know by now, I'm not going along with."

"Why don't _you think of this, Alex?  How do you think I knew what time you were going to be home that day?  How your mother would be home at the perfect time?  Don't you remember me, Alex?  It's me . . . Kyle."_

"Kyle . . ." Alex's eyes shot away from his, she couldn't bear to look at him.  It couldn't be him.  This couldn't be the same boy she used to play with on the monkey bars when others shunned her away.  This couldn't be the boy who hugged her and reassured her it would always be alright as long as they were together.  It couldn't be him . . . the one she thought was going to be her only love . . . and the one who later dropped her like bricks when he saw a better piece of tail pass him by.  She looked up at him and shook her head, "Why Kyle?  Why now?  You had a better girl, didn't you?  Your little 'friend,' if that's what she really was.  Why come back to me now?  It has been three years since I last saw you."

"And in those three years I learned of your heritage, Alex.  You and I were meant for one another.  It was written in the stars that we were meant to be-"

"I should have known that the moment you walked back in my life it was you.  First you take, and later break, my heart, then my mother, and now you want to take my freedom?!  Think Kyle!  You used to be so smart . . . have you reduced yourself to their level of thinking?  To reduce to being given orders and following them with only a wave of your master's hand?"

"It's your rightful passage.  Our rightful passage.  You are destined to become one of the best hunters in history and be by my side as my wife.  Please, don't make me resort to killing your mother.  It was hard enough to take her from you."

"I bet it was," Alex's eyes focused on him.  She couldn't move, and then Kyle removed something from his vest . . . a golden pocket watch.  

"I think this is also rightfully yours," he tossed it into her hands.  Alex found it to be her father's and ran her fingers over the worn inscription of '_I'm Sorry_'.  "Your mother left it when she ran away with you," Alex looked at him with questions burning in her eyes, "Your father told me everything.  What your mother was like, how much he loved her, and you.  At times, I felt like I was part of your family, which is why it was so hard to kill him."

Alex's eyes went huge and filled with tears, "You?  You are the one that killed him?" Yugi put his protective arms around her.

"He didn't trust anyone else," Kyle smiled, "I guess that we will never go on that 'family picnic' he had planed.  It's a pity . . . I had the potato salad all ready."

"How dare you!" Alex stepped toward him, but was held back by Yugi.  She looked at him as he shook his head as to tell her it wasn't worth the risk.  She closed her eyes and held the golden item closer to her heart.

"Alex, maybe you should go with Kyle," Alex opened her eyes and looked up at Yugi.  Something clicked in her mind like someone was starting an old movie projector.

FLASHBACK

It was at the end of the night.  All the stars were hidden behind a deep shade of dark blue, showing signs of on coming rain.  Alex had her hand clasped tightly over some one else's as she ran toward the gazebo in the middle of the park.  "I told you that it was going to rain, but you didn't believe me."

"It hasn't rained yet, Alex," as soon as her name was said a downpour started to swallow the cool night air around them.  Alex wore a smug grin on her face and looked into the eyes of the young man, "You were saying Kyle?"

"Yeah, yeah . . ." he let go of her hand and leaned on one of the railings staring out into the rain.  He looked puzzled or distracted and Alex walked over.

"What's bugging you?"

"Nothing."

"It's about Ebony, isn't it?"

Kyle snapped his head toward her, his blond hair swinging in his eyes, "What are you talking about?"

"She isn't just your friend, is she?"

"Alex, you are the only girl for me."

Alex looked away from the glare of his blue eyes, "Then why were you two kissing while I was supposedly getting punch at the dance last night?"

"You were watching me?"

"Funny how things work out, huh?  They ran out of punch since the whole bowl was spiked.  You don't feel for me the way I do you."

He held his head down, "Why did you bring me out here, Alex?"

"To give you your ring back," Alex took it off her finger and placed it in his hand, "I bet you would want to give it to her."  She closed his hand around it and pressed it against his chest.

"Alex . . ." he looked in her eyes and knew that he couldn't play the game with this girl, "Maybe you're right.  And maybe I just decided that the others were right.  You are a freak!"

Alex backed away from him, "It's not like you're much better Kyle!"

"At least I know when to quit, Alex!  At least I don't hold on!"

"Maybe you should go with Ebony," Alex said looking past him, "She's been waiting for you by that tree ever since we arrived.  Maybe you should just go."

He turned away from her and made his way out into the rain.

"And Kyle . . ." he turned back to face her, rain already taking it's toll, "Don't you ever come back into my life! I don't need any more jerks!"

"NO PROBLEM!" he turned his back on her for the last time, signaled Ebony to jump in the car, and sped off leaving her stranded in the small gazebo.

END FLASHBACK

Alex snapped back into reality, "Yugi . . . I can't go with him.  He broke my heart once, please don't do the same."

"I don't want you nor your mother hurt."  She could see the worry inscribed on his face, and strong fire of determination in his eyes.

"No Yugi, I can't leave you.  Our bond is so much stronger then this.  I can not break it!  I can not lose you as I did him."

"I'm not asking you to," he took her hands in his, "I just want you to be safe until I can find you again.  And I will find you again, I promise."

Alex took one of his hands brought it up to have it touch her cheek.  She closed her eyes and thought of what to do.  'Mother . . . please help me,' suddenly a flash of a picture ran through her mind.  Her mother was asleep, tied to a bar of some kind.  Barely awake . . . if even alive.  Alex opened her eyes and looked at Yugi, "They don't have her."

"What are you talking about?" Kyle took a step toward them, "Of course we have her."

Alex regained her strength and walked toward Kyle, "You don't have her.  You're pretty sure that she is somewhere tied to a bar and dead."  Kyle backed away from her stuttering, "Yo-You do-"

"As soon as you took her you tied her up somewhere, injected her with the same stuff Connie stuck me with and left her to die.  You never had her prisoner; you never had her this whole time.  You murderer!"

"You shouldn't just end with calling me murderer.  Your father helped too!"

"I know, and for that he's helping me now," Alex lifted her arm to show the glowing bracelet with another glowing piece of gold that used to be her father's.  "This was never a pocket watch as we all thought," Alex opened her father's possession, "It's an old compass . . . with the power of the old magic of Egypt."

"He never told me . . ."

"He never trusted you.  He always knew that you would betray him in the end," Alex turned to Yugi, "He trusted me to figure it out.  He wanted me to do what I wanted, even if I wasn't going to be a rare hunter . . . he was a good man.  And I called him a fraud."

"Then why did he help us kill you mother?"

"Didn't you listen to yourself earlier, Kyle?  He truly loved my mother, unlike the false love that you fed to me and more then likely Ebony.  He didn't give her the poison . . . he gave her something else and you all fell for it.  With his help I will find my mother and come back to end rare hunters in an all out duel!"  Alex turned from Kyle and started to walk away with Yugi, reaching out her hand for his.

"Alex, you're missing something that can't be explained!  We are that something!   We were once together, let that be again!  We are your destiny!"

"My destiny is far from your murdering kind!" Alex turned around and hit Kyle with a blast of light from her bracelet.  He was hit into a tree and fell to the ground with a sickening thud.  Alex stumbled a little, but regained her balance back quickly.  She looked over at the girl that was Kyle's date.  "Tell your boss that I'll never join you.  Stop trying and leave me and my loved ones alone!" the girl, already afraid that she would be next to hit the ground nodded her head and ran off.

"Yugi?"

"Alex?"

"I want to go home," she wrapped her arms around his waist, trying at the same time to keep a hard hold on her father's item.

"Let's head home then," he hugged her and kept one arm around her waist as they walked home.

***

Alex was lying on her bed staring at her father's compass in her hands, 'Huh, it's strange isn't it dad?  You lived a lie to protect, and even then your daughter still hated you for it.  Oh daddy, I'm so sorry.'  She felt a small tear fall down her cheek, 'But thanks to you dad, I've seen mom.  She's still alive and I will find her.  I promise you that.'

_'I know you will and I'll be right there beside you the whole way.  If you need any help I'm here, always.'_  Alex smiled at Amunet's comment and heard a soft knock on the door.  Neit jumped off the dresser by the window and walked over to the door meowing.  Alex could hear Yugi's voice on the other side and her smile widened even more.  She opened her door to see Yugi in a white tank top and some old gym shorts, "You ok?"

"Yes, minus the fact that I'm very embarrassed."

"Why?"

"Because I'm standing in front of you with a giant t-shirt that says I'm with stupid pointing to no one unless you count the door."

He smiled, "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Alex stepped aside and let Yugi through.  She closed the door and sat down beside him on the bed.  "Your not ok are you, Alex?"

"It's just that my mother and father loved each other deeply and I never knew.  They both had to live a lie.  To keep it from their only daughter.  They couldn't be together because they had to protect the bracelet and me.  I never knew my father because of the stupid rare hunters.  And now, I will never know anything about him except for what I learn from his piece."

"What do you mean from his piece?"

"When I held my father's item I felt his presence.  I heard his thoughts," Alex looked up from the floor, "He was a good man, he just couldn't show it."

"What about Connie?  She was found with him."

"She followed orders as she needed to, but they needed her body to get me back into another foster home.  But they weren't expecting you."

"They killed her just for that?"

"Yes, she never saw it coming," they both stayed in silence for a while.

"So, now what?"

"Now, I find my mother, with the help of my father's piece I should be able to find her."

"You mean we, don't you?"

"We?"

"We are going to find your mother.  I'm going with you."

"I thought that you might say something like that," he gave her a hug.  

"You know, Alex.  You are the most complicated person I have ever known.  And to think, I thought that you just needed a friend.  I never thought that you were an Egyptian with an ancient past, rare hunters on your tail, one happening to be your ex-boyfriend, and you would take my heart.  Funny how things work out, huh?"

"What do you mean by an ancient past?" Alex asked, half laughing.

"Well, I'm the reincarnation of Yami in this life.  I'm thinking that you are the one to awaken Amunet's spirit, you are her reincarnation."

"That would be really weird . . . I mean, me . . . Amunet's reincarnation?"

"It's possible.  Yami fell in love with Amunet and I with you."

"Speaking of those two, have they been together recently?"

"Not that I know of."

"Maybe we should let them see each other."

"Amunet is talking to you again, huh?"

"Well, would you blame her?  Being separated from your love for over a few thousand years would be enough wouldn't it?"

"I guess you're right," Alex smiled and looked down at the bracelet.  

"I'll get the puzzle."  Alex watched him go into his room and let Amunet take over. 

 "Thank you, Alex," Amunet sighed as soon as she got a breath of fresh air.

_'No problem.  I would be going crazy if I couldn't see Yugi every opportunity I could.  I tip off my hat to you for be as patient as you are.'_

Amunet smiled and looked at what she was wearing, "ALEX!  Why don't you have any clothes on?"

_'I have clothes on.  I'm wearing something for sleeping- __ur__ . . . bed-ur, well you know what I mean, right?'_  Amunet shook her head.  

Then from the doorway she could hear some one clear their throat, "Hello Yami."

"Amunet," he came in and brushed his hand on the side of her face.  She smiled and kissed him on the lips.  

Afterward she looked him in the eyes, "I've missed you too."

"Is something on your mind?"

"Do you think it's true what your light said about Alex being my reincarnation?"

"I think that it is very possible.  And Yugi did bring up some good points."

"You mean about you falling for me?" Yami smirked and gave her another kiss.


	13. Ancient Pasts

Chapter 13:Ancient Past

            Alex woke with a jerk from her dream and realized she was back in her own bed.  Soon after, she also realized that there was someone else behind her, holding her around the waist.  She looked at the hand whose fingers were entwined with her own, 'Yugi?'  She turned around to face him, but at the same time hoping not to wake him.  She looked at his face, which was so innocent when sleeping . . . until she looked down.  Yugi wasn't wearing a shirt!  She didn't even want to know what Amunet was doing last night with her reunion with Yami.  _'You don't really think that **I** would do that, would **you** Alex?'_ Amunet asked from her mind.  Alex made an unsure face and focused back on Yugi, 'Who said it was you, Amunet?  Was that dream for real?' Alex thought.

            _'Dream?'_

            The night before, after Alex had said her last words to Amunet, she fell into a deep sleep and began to dream.

~*~Dream~*~

            She knew she couldn't get back to sleep, so she might as well wake all the rest of the way up.  Alex felt around for her bedside table to turn off her alarm clock before it began screeching.  With no luck in finding the clock, and not wanting to open her eyes just yet, she leaned over the edge of the bed, falling over the side.  Alex sat underneath a sheet, on the floor rubbing her backside.  She removed the sheet that fell on her, "Stupid sheets."  Alex stopped and listened again to her voice.  'That's my voice, but it isn't English . . . it's Egyptian.  Why am I speaking in Egyptian tongue?'  Alex took a look around the room and saw small gold statues of gods bordering each corner, expensive looking material was framing the windows and the bed that she was on only a few minutes ago could only be described as a thing of majesty.

            "This can't be right," Alex slowly walked toward a large sheet of gold that served perfectly for a yellow-tinted mirror.  She stepped toward it and looked at herself, she was Amunet!  Alex touched her face and ran her fingers through her hair.  She watched as the figure of Amunet followed and copied her every move.  "By the Gods!" she heard herself say, 'When do I ever say that?'

From the doorway, she heard a voice and the brush off feet against the clay colored tiles on the floor.  Slowly she turned her head toward the voice to face a slightly older woman in front of her, "Excuse me?"

Alex saw the woman's mouth move as the Egyptian words flowing from it slowly transformed into English.  "I was wondering if you were awake yet m' lady.  Your showing is at noon time and it is almost two hours till."

"My showing?"

The young woman smiled and gave a little giggle, "Yes, don't you remember?  The prince is to choose his bride today.  And you, bring the daughter of a rich man, are going to be one of the girls presented to him, Amunet."

'The young prince? . . . Yami!  He should be able to tell me what the heck is going on here,' Alex stood in thought and then looked at the woman.  Something was familiar about the woman . . . . something shone in her eyes that Alex remembered from each and everyday of her life.  Then it hit her, 'Mother . . .'  Alex shook her head to get herself back into reality.

"Are you feeling well m' lady?"

"I am fine, Oni," Alex checked the recesses of her mind to find how she knew the girl's name.

"I will set up for your bath then," Oni bowed and left down the hall.  

Alex grabbed the side of her head, 'No wonder mother and I were so close, she was my assigned servant in my past- er . . . now.'

She stepped toward a piece of furniture that seemed to resemble a dresser and began to look for something to wear.  She felt her excitement growing, but why?  'It's probably just Amunet's mind.  And that's another thing, why can't I feel her presence?'

Alex shrugged her shoulders and felt her wrist to adjust the bracelet, but it wasn't there.  "The Gods!  Where is the bracelet?" She looked around the room franticly looking for the bracelet.  As she was looking under her bed she realized something, 'If I'm in ancient Egypt . . . maybe this is before Amunet even received the bracelet.'  Alex let out a sigh of relief and sat back on the bed touching the clothes that she laid out a few minutes earlier.

Soon enough Oni had returned from down the hall, "Amunet!  You should let me get your garments.  That is my duty."

Alex nodded and followed her down the hall toward the bathing quarters.  Oni set her clothing to the side and put Alex behind a small screen.  "Hurry and get in the bath, we have to get you ready," Oni almost immediately pulled her back out and into the bath.  Alex was happy that it had happened so fast because she was embarrassed to be in front of another person naked.  Oni washed fairly quickly and even faster got Alex into her new, clean garments, "Well now that is done, let's get you painted."

"Yea . . . painting," Alex followed her to another room where there were a few bowls of black paint.  "Sit," Oni pushed Alex into a chair and turned to a bowl to get ready to start.

"You know Amunet.  I'm kind of sad that you will not be accompanying me to the dueling fields today.  I have great fun when you are with me, even if you are in disguise.  I mean I would be too, being the daughter of a rich man and all.  Well, that didn't take long did it?"  Oni stepped up to Alex with a mirror and her jaw dropped when she saw her reflection.  She looked great as an Egyptian . . . or at least Amunet did.  "I'm thing that you like what I did."

"Very much, Oni.  Thank you."

"Your father is expecting you down the hall, so do not take much longer."

"All right, Oni," Alex stared at her reflection.  Her eyes were lined in the black paint.  Lines followed fro the edges of her eyes, giving off a spectacular design.  Alex touched the small golden headdress on her head and decided to go.

***

Once reaching the end of the hall, Alex spotted a tall man staring out a window.  He turned around holding the golden compass and saw Alex, "It's about time you got up sleepy head."

"Father," Alex breathed the word with great admiration, he was gone back in her real time . . . and now out of no where, he was back.  Alex ran up to him and gave him a great hug.

"Well, what was that for?"

"I just felt like. . . I needed a hug from a great man."  He smiled at her and stood back to get a full picture of his daughter.

"Radiant as always.  I know that you will be chosen.  Oh, I have a present for this day."  He snapped for one of his servants and Alex saw one coming toward them with a box.  "Take this," he opened the box and placed an object on her wrist, "as an earliy wedding gift."

"Father . . ." Alex looked at her wrist where the golden bracelet shown back at her, "I haven't even been shown . . ."

"But even if the prince has the brain the size of a pea and doesn't choose you, you will be married someday.  Whoever that is, is already very lucky to have the destiny you have you as a wife."  Alex smiled, gave her father another hug and left out the front of their home.

There had to be at least fifty girls surrounding the place.  Four men soon came from the great palace doors.  All the girls stood in line as the men looked over the girls, dismissing most, but keeping a select few.  Alex followed suit and stood in line with the other girls.  The men stepped closer with each girl and Alex's nerves grew tense when they reached her after dismissing the girl beside her.  "Lift your head," one of the men told her.  She did as she was told and saw a small balcony hanging over head.  On the balcony she could see an outline of a young man over looking the girls.  The young man soon turned and walked back into the palace.

The men were still looking at the gold piece that was around Alex's neck.  On the gold item there were hieroglyphics that told of her parents and her position in the society.  "You're the daughter of Ontial.  You are chosen so far, step inside please," Alex bowed, as the girls before her had, and walked into the palace.

She joined eight other girls inside and joined yet another line of girls.  Soon after one other girl joined them the doors behind them shut closed.  "Congratulations," the ten girls snapped their heads forward to see a woman standing before them.  She was wearing along the same type of dress/cloak that the rest of them were wearing, but she was wearing a golden tiara that gave away her position, 'The queen.'  The woman looked over each on of the girls and starting at the very end began to ask each one the same question, "Why do you wish to marry my son?"  Then it was Alex's turn to answer, 'Better make it good.'

"Because I hope to have a husband who could live up to his father's name and be at least half a great a leader," she kept her head down, trying to show humbleness.  The queen seemed to like her answer and walked to the last girl.  "Now, for you all to meet my son, Prince Yami," the queen waved her hand toward the curtain behind the thrones where a young man materialized.

Alex looked up to see something she didn't expect, 'That isn't Yami, that's Yugi . . . I mean that's Yami's body, but- I feel Yugi's presence.'  Around his neck Alex could see the puzzle shine.  

Her mind went back to a time in Amunet's past when she was at the dueling grounds, and she met a shy boy near one of the empty dueling grounds.  He held a deck of cards and smiled at her.  He was in the clothing of a commoner.  She decided to challenge him to a duel.  He accepted and from that duel on, they clicked . . . and their feelings grew.  Yami would sneak out just as she did.

Yami looked at each girl, sighing as if this was forced to look at each girl, didn't he want to choose a bride?  His eyes finally captured her and they both recognized it was the other.  It might have been their past selves or their minds but both of their eyes had the look as if they were saying, 'Please hold me.'  He had to look away and see the other girl.

Out of no where there was a huge explosion from another part of the palace.  Yugi grabbed a hold of Alex and held her underneath his body, protecting her from any debris.  The other girls ran for cover as the queen went underneath an overhang near by.  Soon the aftermath of the blast stopped and Yugi helped Alex up from the floor.  The queen saw Yugi's reaction and cleared her throat.  Yugi looked at Alex one last time and walked back behind the thrones.  "I have made my decision for my son," the queen stated.

Alex's eyes opened huge, "I have chosen . . ."

'Why doesn't the prince decide his heart?'

"Hisia daughter of Kiate.  The wedding is in two night falls."

'What?! Is this why you had so much pain, Amunet?  You two loved each other from the first time you met in the dueling fields, but you couldn't be together . . .'

All the girls were dismissed and Alex was the most hesitant to leave the palace.  As soon as she exited the door, she heard a whistle and looked up.  It was Yugi; he crumpled a piece of what looked like paper and threw it to her.  He ran back inside hearing his mother call for him only after glancing down at Alex.  Alex quickly grabbed the paper and read it to herself:

_Meet me by the main fountain in the square at nightfall . . . I know that my mother didn't pick you as my wife, but I have missed you more then I can express in a note.  I don't know what is going on, but I keep having flashes.  I hope that together we can figure this out.  Meet me there at nightfall, Alex.  Please . . ._

_***_

At nightfall Alex followed the note's instructions and left for the fountain.  Alex had come in common clothing, except for the gold bracelet that she knew better to take off.  She walked through the crowd to find her way to the main fountain.  She soon reached the fountain and sat down on one of the cement blocks.  "I thought that you would come," she heard a voice say from behind her.

"You know I wouldn't be able to stay away for long, even if your mother tried to stop me," Alex turned her head and saw Yugi's eyes shinging from beneath his hood.  She jumped off the edge and into his arms, "By the gods I've missed you."

"Same here.  Look Alex, the dark magic is becoming more and more common among the palace.  And today it hit very hard," Yugi took his eyes away from hers and stared out into the crowd.

"What happened?"

"The pharaoh, my father, is dead.  He was killed trying to stop on of the dark sages who tried to take control.  That was the big blast that we felt earlier.  I am to become Pharaoh tomorrow."

"I'm so sorry."

Yugi smiled at down at her weakly, "Don't worry I was able to seal him away, but others will come and that means that I will not have a wedding for quite a while."

"Now I know how it all happened. All of it . . . how they fell in love, why you're pharaoh so early in life . . ."

"This isn't that early to become pharaoh," he smiled and hugged her again, "So are you coming to the ceremony tomorrow?"

"Of course," Alex went on her tip toes and kissed him in front of the fountain.

After that moment both Alex and Yugi started to experience flashes of different times in Yugi and Amunet's past.  Some flashes were of Amunet and Yami escaping their homes to sneak some time together.  Other flashes were of the dark sages trying to bring forth their monsters of great destruction against Yami.  Yami was always fighting against them fighting valiantly and prevailing over all.  Then all at one moment, time slowed and Alex was waking up in another bed . . . belonging to Yami.  She tried to figure out how she got there, and searched through Amunet's thoughts of the night before.  She blushed and got dressed in her robes which were on the ground.

Something was off and Alex couldn't shake the feeling that there was something wrong and Yami was in trouble.  She felt herself being pulled toward the main hall where the thrones were placed.  She found Yugi being held down by a dark sage, struggling underneath the weight.  'Yugi,' Alex looked on helpless to help him.  "Pharaoh!  Smash the puzzle.  The dark sages must not receive its power!" someone yelled from beyond the throne.  The puzzle broke with a bright light and Alex saw Yugi disappear before her eyes.  Then she felt herself being sucked into another dimension against her will, "Yugi!"

Alex opened her eyes with a jolt as she felt herself hit the soft bed.


	14. Lost and Found

Chapter 14: Lost and Found

Alex could feel Yugi starting to wake up beside her, and kissed him on the nose.  He smiled and opened his eyes, "Was that real?"

"Was what real?"

"You were Amunet and I was . . ."

"Pharaoh Yami.  I just had that same dream, how weird."

"What about the other thing that happened . . . in Yami's quarters . . . does the way we are now give us any clues?"

"I think that _this_ is all Amunet and Yami, but in the dream- that was all us," Alex said softly blushing.

"But it was all in our minds, right?  We were repeating Yami and Amunet's past."

"Are you saying that you wouldn't want to repeat that past with me?"

"No, I'm just- um . . . breakfast?" Yugi hopped out of the bed, still without a shirt, but in a pair of black sweatpants.  Different pants then what Alex remembered seeing him in the night before.  He headed toward the kitchen before Alex could get up.

"YUGI!" Alex threw one of her pillows at him and climbed out of the bed.  After she got dressed into her normal clothes she walked into the kitchen to find Yugi cooking breakfast.  Alex wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and kissed him on the cheek, "So, what's for breakfast?"

"Pancakes, and maybe some eggs if I can get to it," Yugi leaned over and grabbed the syrup from one of the shelves above him.  Alex placed her head on his shoulder as she watched the pancakes rose.

"I'll get the milk and your grandfather up," Alex got the milk from the fridge, set it on the table, and went to wake up Yugi's grandfather.

"Mr. Muto?" Alex opened the door to his room and saw him sitting on his bed barely awake.  "Are you alright, Mr. Muto?"

"What was all that noise last night, Alex?"

"Noise?" Alex asked with a sweatdrop going down the side of her face.

"From your room I believe."

"Oh . . . that . . . I'll have to get back to you on that, Mr. Muto.  On another note, breakfast is ready."  Mr. Muto rolled over the side of his bed and Alex walked back toward the kitchen.

'Amunet . . . what noise was he talking about?'

'Um . . . I have to confess that when you and Yugi were dream sharing . . . Yami and I were repeating the same situations you two were . . . we were reliving our pasts.'

Alex stopped dead in her tracks, 'WHAT!'

_'Sorry?'_

Alex was about to yell inside her own mind when she heard Yugi from the kitchen.  "Yami!  You did what?!"  Alex ran back into the kitchen where Yugi was standing over some scrabbled eggs that were on the floor.

"He told you huh?"

"You knew?"

"Well, Amunet loves to confess under tight situations."

"I'm never going back to sleep when Yami and Amunet are alone."

"Same here," she gave him a smile and helped him clean up the eggs.

After Yugi set up the table his grandfather walked into the kitchen.  "So, what were you two up to today?"

"We are going on a type of journey today," Alex stated.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, with the help of my father's compass I should be able to find my mother."

"So how long are you two going to be gone?"  Mr. Muto questioned as he stuffed some pancakes in his mouth.

"We don't exactly know."

"But we know we'll be careful, grandpa," Yugi said standing up, taking his and Alex's plate to the sink.  Alex got up after finishing her milk and walked over to the sink to wash her glass.

Yugi's grandfather nodded, "Are  you two ever going to tell me what those noises were last night?"

Both teens froze at the sink and looked at each other.  "Well grandpa, whenever you see Yami again . . . well, how about you ask him now?"  Yugi closed his eyes and made Yami take over.  Alex smiled and did the same.

'Alex what are you doing?'__

It's your turn to explain what happened last night.  Neither Yugi nor I knows exactly what happened.

'Alex!' Amunet looked at Yami and then at Mr. Muto.

"So?" he looked at the two.

"Well, would you like to start Yami?"

"Not, really."

***

            After leaving out the front door both Alex and Yugi walked, following the glowing force of the compass.

            "How do you think they held up?" Alex asked.

            "I wouldn't know, Yami isn't telling me anything."

"Same here with Amunet."

"They just need to calm down, Alex.  Until then, we're all alone in the search."

"Yup," Alex held Yugi's hand with the opposite one holding the compass, "It seems like it's leading toward the outskirts of town.  What's out there?"

"Mostly abandoned homes . . . old little shops."

"A perfect place to hide a body," Alex started to walk fast as the compass in her hand glowed brighter.  Yugi kept by her side and poor Neit ran to keep up, but eventually jumped on Alex's shoulder.

They made their way to a small neighborhood, all the homes were empty.  Alex walked down the sidewalk until she stood in front of a white home.  She closed her eyes and saw flashed of a little blue car in the driveway and some toys in the front. 'This can't be,' she opened her eyes that were nearly filled with tears.

"I don't understand, Alex," yugi said coming next to her.  Alex stood quiet only looking hard at the house's door.  "Alex?"

Alex shook herself out of her trance, "What?"

"Are you alright?"

"What were you saying?"

"Well, I don't understand.  Why take her so far away from your home?"

"Dad wanted her to feel safe . . . This was my home when I was a baby."

"What?"

"Before I was taken away to be safe with mom . . . I lived here with both of my parents.  It was so much nicer," the glowing of the compass stopped as Alex reminisced, "I remember al most everything."  She stood for a few moments only staring at the house going back into her trance.  "I had forgotten."

The house was getting on in age as most people and other objects are expected to do.  The ivory paint had lost its vibrant, soft glowe and most of the red bricks surrounding the outside were chipped and broken.  Most would not think twice to tear it down to build a new high-tech, machine in its place.  But the outside never could show the warmth and heart Alex remembered.

Alex grabbed Yugi's hand and led him inside.  The door almost fell off its henges, but somehow stayed on.  Inside to door, the living room and kitchen split the area.  Alex stepped into the soft carpeted area, "You know," she walked over to the fire place and put her hand on the mantel.  "My father and I would sit here and tell stories by the fire.  I would laugh at the faces he made."

She smiled and looked into the fireplace.  She could have sworn that she saw her father's smiling face looking at her.  She could hear his sweet voice calling out to her.  Neit jumped off her shoulder and ran into another room.  "Neit!  Don't go far."

They followed her into a small room, the same one that was replicated in the lair of the rare hunters.  Alex stepped back out and looked down that hall.  In the master bedroom there were shadows.  "Mother!" Alex ran down the hall.

"Alex! Wait!" Yugi ran behind her.

"It's my mom, Yugi.  I saw her!" Alex pushed against the partially open door, "Mother?"

There was a faint light filling the room, giving an almost orange glow.  On the floor Alex could see a woman's body lying on the ground, wrapped in a blanket.  Alex ran over to the body, "Mother! MOM!"

"Henry?" Her mother looked up in Alex's face, "Alex!  My god, I's you!"

Alex's eyes lit up and threw herself into her mother's arms.  She felt as her mother's arms tightened around her.  "Mom, I knew I'd find you.  I never gave up."

"But how?" he mother looked at her wrist, "I guess the spirit helped you and that I have a lot of explaining to do.  But that still doesn't explain how you found my exact position."

Alex brought out her father's compass and showed it to her mother.  "That's your- but he said that he wouldn't give that to you unless . . ."

Alex slowly picked her head up from the ground.  Her mother saw the tears in her eyes, "Henry . . .?"

"Mom, he gave us time, by giving up his," Alex could barely contain herself from balling into her mother's lap.

"What do you mean?  You met your father?"

"Not under the best circumstances.  The hunters- they took me, and he had to act like he was against me.  I didn't trust him, mom.  The last time I saw him, my heart was filled with hate.  And I'm so sorry for that, I never knew he was a great man.  He tried to save me!  I'm so sorry . . . so sorry . . ."

"Alex, honey," her mother grabbed a hold of her and started to rock her in her arms, "You didn't know.  It was better that you didn't.  It's ok, he knows now.  He knows that you loved him."

"Daddy is dead because of me.  They- they just got rid of him like he was nothing."

"To them, he wasn't."

"I'll show them.  I will avenge dad."

Yugi stepped into the room and kneeled down next to Alex.  He placed a hand on her shoulder and Alex looked up at him.  She gave him a small hug and looked back at her mother.

"It looks like I'm not the only one that needs to explain," Alex's mom looked at the two.

"Mom, this is Yugi," Yugi and her mother smiled and shook hands.

"It's great to finally meet you, ma'am."

"Well, I think that I owe you a great thank you."

"For what?"

"For taking care of my daughter.  And teaching her to love."

"He has helped me through a lot.  He too holds a millennium piece.  The spirit in his piece is the pharaoh Yami, this spirit," Alex held up her wrist, "is the spirit of Yami's love, Amunet."

Her mother smiled at her.  "Come on mom, let's go home."

"I can't get up Alex, I'll need help."

Alex and Yugi both helped her out of the house, into the sunlight and onto freedom.


	15. The Power of the Bracelet

Chapter 15:  Power of the Bracelet

            The group was inside the doors of the history wing at Domino high school, talking about the recent past events.  Joey had his arm around Mai and Tristan went to find a phone so he could talk with Serenity.  Alex and Yugi were sitting against the wall, Alex with her head on his shoulder.

            "Alex, now that you found your mom, you goin' back home?" Joey asked looking down at the two.

"Well, my mom won't be out of the hospital for a while.  After she does she says that we might make a home here in Domino."

"That's good," Mai breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why is that?"

"Now I have a perfect girl to model my new styles with," she smiled and winked at Alex, "And besides, I won't be the only girl in the group."

Alex smiled back and held Yugi tighter, "What are we going to do about the rare hunters?"

"We'll figure something out, Alex."

"I will avenge my father's murder and stop this from happening again," Alex started to stare off into space.

"How are you going to do that?" he kissed the top of her head.

"I'll find a way," Alex focused on a far off object, "I'm going to see my mom after school, you want to come?"

"Yeah, I'll come," he caught her gaze and just stared into her eyes.  He smiled and walked with her to class.

***

"Mai warned you to watch the ball, Alex," Yugi said walking with Alex toward the hospital.  Alex was walking with an ice pack on one eye.

"I know, I know," Alex walked into her mother's room, "Hey mom."

"Alex, were you in another fight?"

"Of course not.  I think the ball started and finished the fight."

"Ball?" she looked over at Yugi for the real answer as to why her daughter had a black eye.

"She's telling the truth.  It just seemed like the ball hit her with everything it had," Yugi smiled.

"Alright, just checking," her mother smiled back.

"Very funny you two," Alex took the ice off her eye, "How are you doing?"

"Good, don't like the food they have here for me.  But that isn't very surprising."

Alex gave her mother a hug and sat down on a chair setting her bag on the floor.  Yugi sat beside her as Neit jumped out of the bag and on the bed.

"Well, who's this?" Neit rubbed against Alex's mother.

"This is Neit.  She's one of my best friends.  I raised her, she was left for dead."

"Oh, poor thing."

"It's strange.  She only likes me, Yugi and apparently you."

"Well, cats have a good judge of characters."

"Told you," Yugi nudged Alex.

"Yeah, yeah," Alex looked at the ground.

"Alex, what's wrong honey?"

"I'm going."

"What? Where?"

"After the rare hunters.  I'm going to end it."

"Alex, you might- you can't.  You'll be killed," her mother grabbed her from her hospital bed.

"They can try.  I won't let them get away wit daddy's murder.  They will pay."

"Honey, I just got you back.  Don't go away . . .  this time you may not come back."

"I will come back, I promise.  But they have to pay."

"Please don't do this, Alex."

"I'm sorry mom," Alex picked up her pack and Neit followed her out.

"Yugi, please talk some sense into her."

"I've tried.  She won't listen.  She's made her choice."

"Then protect her the best you can.  Some times she leaps before she thinks about it."

"For all eternity I will be by her and protect her," Yugi held her hand.

"You truly love her, don't you?"

"With all my heart."

"Kepp her.  Love her.  She'll never need anything more then that."

Yugi nodded and walked out to find Alex.

***

That night Alex and Yugi sat on the couch in the living room.  Alex snuggled close to him, burying her head into his chest.  "Alex?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm scared."

"About what?"

"That I'm going to lose you forever.  No matter what I do to try and stop it."

"You'll never lose me, Yugi.  If Amunet and Yami could survive the test of time, then our love can survive the test of impossibility."

He just held her tighter to his chest.

"I'm going to bed," she stepped out of his arms and toward the stairs.

"Alex?" she turned around to see him standing in front of the couch, "Can I-"

"What?"

"Can I hold you tonight?  Just hold you?"

Alex looked into his eyes and started to tear.  She could now see the fear in his eyes, she could almost feel the yearning for her in his arms.  All he waned was to be with her, because he knew that the night was coming where he has to say good-bye and wait for her to come back.  They day was to come where he couldn't stop them from getting to her.  The day will come when they can't be together, and he didn't want the reality to hit him, and they only way for that to happen was for her to be in his arms.

Alex ran to his open arms and nodded her head.  'The fight is coming, and there is no where else I'd rather be.'

Yugi went with her to bed and just kept her in his grasp.  Before either fell asleep Alex looked at him in the eyes, "I love you."

"I love you, too.  I just wish this moment could last forever."  Alex kissed him softly on the lips and they both closed their eyes for sleep.

***

Alex woke herself up an slowly got out of bed.  She dressed quickly hoping Yugi wouldn't wake up.  She didn't want him to follow and put himself in danger.  She grabbed her deck and got out as soon as she could without being seen.  As she was walking away she looked back at the house, 'I'm sorry, Yugi.'

'_Alex, are you sure you're ready for this?'_

'Ready as I'll ever be,' Alex walked up to the old house crawling under the police tape that still hung around the house from the investigation.  She jumped through the window that used to belong to her bed room.  'Amunet, you behind me on this?'

_'No matter what, I will be behind your decisions.   I believe in you.  And besides, I have to go with you anyway, we're connected after all.'_

'Your confidence overcomes me.'

Alex went to the back bedroom where she saw the outline of two bodies drawn on the ground.  She bent over the bigger drawing and touched where her father's hand laid on the ground.  'I'm so sorry, daddy.  But I'll make it up to you.  I swear it.'

She looked closely at the ground and caught the glimpse of a shadow behind her,  She slowly stood up and waited until she heard the other's breaths behind her.  She turned around and tried to hit the intruder, "Alex!"

"Who are you, and why are you following me?"

"You should know that," Alex put her hands down and lookd closely at the other person.

"Yugi, youshouldn't be here."

"I'm not going to let you do this alone."

"I don't want you hurt.  This is my fight."

"I don't want you hurt.  I'm not going to let you do this without me.  I promised your mother I would protect you.  And that's what I'm going to do," he grabbed her into his arms, "I love you."

"I love you too," Alex hugged him back, "Where's Neit?!"  A sudden wave of panic hi her full force.

"She's back home.  Grandpa will watch her."

"I gotta do this, Yugi.  If I don't, they will never stop."

"I know, but I'm going with you no matter what."

Alex nodded and they both walked down the stairs to the lair.  "No one is here," Yugi looked down the halls.

"Yes they are.  They wouldn't leave their lair.  They're too prideful for that."

"Exactly," both of them turned around to see Bill standing in front of them, "I was wondering when you would come back, Alex."

"Only for one thing, Bill."

"What would that be?"

"Revenge."

"Well, here is only one way to fight the battle for revenge.  In our minds.  We will finally find out which one of us does have the stronger will to survive."

"Ah!" Alex heard Yugi behind her.  He was being held by some other rare hunters.

"Let him go!"

"Don't worry, Alex.  He'll be fine as long as you win."

"I'll win alright," she watched as they walked away with Yugi.  He winked at her and looked down at his puzzle.  'Yami will take care of it,' she thought.

"You ready Alex?"

"I was waiting for you to lead the way."

Bill smiled and walked down the hall.  "I heard that you beat Kyle up pretty bad using your millennium piece."

"Oh, he's still kicking, huh?"

"Barely," they turned into an empty room, "This room let's us call monsters straight from the shadow realm without going there.  But don't be fooled, they are as real as you or I."

Alex started to pull out her deck, "No Alex.  I told you we will play this duel with our minds."

Alex put her deck back in her pocket almost dropping her father's compass.  "Ah, your father's item."

"So Kyle's talking too?"

"Well, two millennium items.  You're very prepared and you have saved me the time of going and searching for your father's item."

"What about you, Bill.  You have no items?"

"Is that worry in your voice, Alex?  For me?"

"Hmph!  Far from it.  I was hoping that you would go down easier without an item.  Without a weapon, just like when you people took you mom without a fight."

"Enough chat!  Let's get this over with.  You can only use the monsters that you would have in your deck.  Any magic will work."

"Alright.  Let's do this."

***

'Solid doors, barely an light.  How had do you think it will be to get out of here, Yami?'

_'Not that hard,' _Yugi smiled and felt Yami power up.

'I never knew that you had this power.'

_'You never asked,'_ before he knew it, he was outside the door surrounded with unconscious rare hunters.

***

"Let's go Alex!"

"I'm ready!" Alex closed her eyes and concentrated hard.  'With my father directing me, my mother trusting in me, my friends supporting me and Yugi's love . . . I can't fail.'

"Let's duel!" they both yelled in unison

"I call the biggest monster my master had ready for me.  Your father's Blue Eyes."  A huge hole appeared in the front of them and a huge beast appaeared from it.  It roared at the sight of Alex.  "And since this isn't a normal duel, I don't have to wait for you to  make a move to attack."  The Blue Eyes lunged at Alex, but she jumped out of the way.

"Swords of revealing light!" swords shot from all sides of the rom, keeping the dragon at bay.  "Now my turn to call forth a monster."  Alex thought through her deck, "I have to get an idea soon."

"You're running out of time, Alex."

"I call Dark Magician Girl!  And help her power up with the Book of Sorcery.  And to protect her I will use Magic Hats."

"Don't hide, Alex.  This is just beginning."

***

Yugi ran through the countless corridors, "I have been running around for half an hour.  Where is she?"

**_Follow your heart_**

Yugi stopped in his tracks, 'Yami was that you?'

'_No.' Yugi started to run again, in another direction, '__Where are you going?'_

'My heart is pulling me this way.  I got to find Alex,' suddenly Yugi fell to the ground, clutching his arm.

_'Yugi!  What happened?'_

'My arm hurts,' he stood back up, leaning on the wall for balance, 'I've got to keep going.'

He looked down at his hand he took away from his arm.  "Blood?"

***

Alex grabbed the side of her arm tightly trying to keep it from bleeding any further.  She gritted her teeth as she tore a piece of her pants off and tied it around the wound tightly.  Her trick on the Blue eyes destroyed it, but a trap was waiting for her Dark Magician Girl and destroyed it.  Being unprotected Bill quickly called another monster and attacked her.  Although she was hurt, Bill was in a worse shape.  "You know in this game, there is only one survivor."

"Yeah, and you're looking at her.  Let me be the first to say that I miss you already," Alex said pitting some blood that started to come from her mouth.

"Don't you see your condition Alex.  You're mortally wounded."

Alex looked at him confused, but then looked down.  In her side there was a huge gash, and she was bleeding profusely.  "Now, my lovely monster attack with white lightning!"

Alex was shocked to the ground and knocked out.  She could still hear the attack continuing, relentlessly.  Causing her body to involuntarily go into convulsions.  Her mind was wrapped with in itself.  She saw herself in a black space, nothing around but her and a faint light.

_'Alex, he has way too strong of monsters.  And you are fighting a losing battle,'_ Amunet appeared before her.

'I will win this, Amunet.  I will not let him do this.'

_' There is only one thing to do, if we are to save this world.'_

'If it's the only thing, Amunet, then I'll do it.'

_'But it is not without a price.  You will be sent to the Shadow realm and may not return.'_

'It's a chance at taking him and the rest of the rare hunters out, isn't it?  I have to do it.'

'_Another thing, Alex.  I will not be here if you do return.'_

'What do you mean that you will not be here?'

_'I mean that when we do this, I will be no more.'_

'I can't do that, Amunet.  You mean so so much to me.'

_'More then thousands of other lives, Alex? Is my being more important than allowing them the freedom to destroy another life?  The life of the five year old girl down the street?  The countless children that haven't even been born yet?  If we don't do this, thousands maybe even millions of lives could be destroyed.  You have to do it!  It's the only way!  You said so yourself, You have to do it!'_

'I can't, you're my best friend, Amunet!  I can't let that go!'

_'You have to Alex!  Please!'_

'I . . . I can't . . .'

_'Do it!'_

Alex closed her eyes tight, 'What do I have to do?'

_'When we start we will be bonded into one being.  You'll be in control and I'll be gone, giving you my powers.  You'll have the power of destruction as well as giving life.  But you must destroy this facility and there rare hunters.'_

'What will I tell Yami?'

_'He will understand.  Tell him I love him . . . and will always and forever.  Now, we got to do this.  He is ready to attack again.'_

'I'll miss you, Amunet.'

_'Good-by Alex,'_ Alex let a tear slid down her cheek as she felt herself drift back into reality.

The room began to fill with a bright light and the Egyptian clothes that Alex wore before grew out from her other clothes.  She pushed herself off the ground as she spat the rest of the blood out of her mouth.  She stood tall before Bill, not as Alex, but as the protector of the bracelet.  She stood as who her Egyptian heritage knew she was.

"What the hell?"

"No more of this!" Alex put her hand up to protect against the attack against her and sent the monster back into the shadow realm.  "Now, as for you and your kind."  The whole room began to be engulfed in a black bubble that started to grow from the middle of the room out.

As Yugi reached the room her looked inside, "Alex! NO!  Get out of there!"

'Yugi,' Alex saw him outside the room and focused.  She took her father's glowing item from her robes, 'Father . . . this is the only way Yugi.  I love you.'

"I call upon the spirit of the light inside this item.  Come forth and protect our pharaoh of our time, take him and his light far from here.   Make him safe until this evil dissapeares," a yellow light shot from her hands and engulfed Yugi in a small bubble.

"Alex, no.  I promised that I would protect you.  I don't want to go!  I love you Alex!  I love you!" he he fell to his knees, franticly banging on the walls of the golden bubble.  He looked on the fading scene with tear stained eyes and face.  Then he was in his room in a split second.  "No. . . Alex."

Alex shed yet another tear as she saw Yugi slip away, 'Good-bye.'

"You can't call the shadow realm around us.   You'll die with me," Bill called as the bubble engulfed him with the rest of the room.

"So be it.  Then I die.  I will not let Amunet's sacrifice be in vain!"  Alex put her arms out and the dark bubble grew even larger, covering the whole complex.

"What are you doing?"

"I might as well make sure that you people can never do this again!"  Alex's legs started to give way and her breathing was starting to become harder to control.  She looked over at Bill as she heard a painful cry escape from his lips.  He now laid motionless on the ground.

She tried to stand up, but couldn't find the strength.  She felt her side as the blood started to flow freely from her wound once again.  She looked to her right and saw another body on the ground, "Amunet?"

She crawled over to her and set her in her arms.  "Amunet, we did it.  They're gone.  Your plan worked, now we can go back home," she smiled at her friend, but got no response.  "Please god, Amunet wake up!" she shook her friend, hoping that would do something.  Alex gave up and cried into her friend's shoulder, releasing a fountain of tears down Amunet's face.  "I guess we die together," Alex choked out from underneath her hair.

**_Alex, get up_**

"Who- daddy?"

**_Alex get up.  Yugi is waiting for you.  You can't give up.  Amunet gave her being to save this world and you.  Don't waste her sacrifice._**

"But I can't get out . . ."

**_Get up.  You'll find a way._  Alex struggled to get up.**

"Daddy," Alex stood up under the pressure and looked around.

**_The power of the bracelet destroyed the evil from our world, but has trapped you inside the shadow realm.  But not all hope is lost.  You can find a way.  Believe in the love that the others have shown you._**

"How?" Alex looked to her side and saw her father standing tall.  "How can you be here?"

**_I came to help you and remind you.  There are people who love you and are waiting for you to return._**

"Daddy, I'm so sorry.  I don't hate you.  I miss you so much, just wishing I had a chance to know you."

**_My little girl.  I miss you too.  I am sorry for not being there when you were growing up_ he pushed some of her hair out of her face**

"It wasn't your fault," she hugged him, "I love you daddy."

**_I love you too.  Now_ he held her away from him ****_you have to go before it is too late.  You'll find a way.  Follow your heart._  Alex watched as her father disappeared.  She looked beyond his fading form at an object lying on the ground.  She gathered her strength and walked toward the object.**

'I will find a way home to you all,' just as she grabbed the object she looked back, "Thank you daddy.  Thank you Amunet."

***

Yugi sat on the window sill in his bedroom looking over trees and smaller homes.  He saw the dark bubble recede, but couldn't get back.  When ever he tried a golden light surrounded him, preventing him from going any further.  "Alex," he stared out the window with Neit on his lap, "Come back."

He stood up and decided to try and go back again to the house.  The dark bubble had long but vanished.  As he tried the door, the gold light didn't stop him.  He ran out of the house and toward the home.

He reached the house and saw that the starwell was caved in and he couldn't get back to the lair.  He sat outside the window, underneath the fame to her room.  Neit jumped up on the window and started to meow to be let in.  "Neit, the window is open."  Neit didn't stop yelling.  Yugi just closed  his eyes, 'Why Yami, why?'

No one answeres his questions, "Yami?"  He held the puzzle in his hands, he could no longer feel the second presence any longer.  Yami was gone . . . just gone.

He stood up and ylled up at the sky, "WHY?!  Why them?  Why are you taking everything from me?  Everyone . . ."  He fell on the soft grass beneath his feet.

"Yami, Amunet . . . Alex, All gone.  Alex. I love you.  Why did you leave?"

"Who said I went anywhere?"

Yugi's tear filled eyes shot open and looked behind him.

"You can't get rid of me that easy, Yugi Motu."  He juped up from where he was sitting and grabbed her in a hug.

"Alex, I lost you.  How?"

"I felt everyone's love.  And I found a way . . . this of all things," she held out a rope.

"A rope?"

"Half of it was in the shadow realm.  I held on to it and made it home.  I don't understand how it even got there."

"You found a way back.  That's all that I'm happy about.  That's all I need to understand," he held her tighter and gave her a kiss of a lifetime.

***

Later that week they were both watching a movie in Alex's new home that her mother recently bought.  "Have you felt any trace of Yami?"

"Not for a while.  I truly believe that he is gone," she hugged him from the side, "I can't believe we lost both of them."

The doorbell rang, interrupting their thoughts.  "I'll get it," Yugi stood up.

"I'll go with you, it is my house afterall."  As they made their way to the door they passed by a small table in the hall.  On the table Alex placed a portrat of her father and his compass with a few candles surrouding them.

Yugi reached for the door and opened it.

"Hey you two.  Did you miss us?"  Standing outside the door was Amunet and Yami dressed in normal clothes.  They looked like copies of Alex and Yugi, but with a few differences.

"How?"

"As you said before Alex," Amunet brought up, "Love can overcome impossibility."

"What?"

"I told you.  The bracelet has the power to give life as well as take it away.  When you held me in your arms, your tears gave the energy to give both me and Yami our own bodies.  Your love in our friendship gave us life.  Now we can live our lives without borrowing your bodies."

"This is great!" Alex hugged Amunet.

"We thought that we would never get to talk with you guys again," Yugi shook Yami's hand.

'Like we would let that happen," he smiled.

"Amunet, this is yours," Alex started to take off the bracelet.

"No, Alex.  You are next to guard the bracelet."

"Same goes for you and the puzzle, Yugi," Yami stated.

"Anyway, all I want to do is spend the rest of my life with Yami."

They all came in the house and watched the movies, and met Alex's mom.  Yami and Amunet became students at Domino High, as they were only around sixteen when they were caught in the millennium items, and grew up with Alex and Yugi.

THE END

A/N:  I know, I know.  Kind of a weird/ bad ending I'm sorry.  That deserves half flames (DON'T HURT ME!!!!!).  But don't worry, I'm starting to cook up a sequel to this, but I might not start it for a while.  Please be patient.  I hope you enjoyed my fic (if not the last chapter, the rest of it) and review.  PRETTY PLEASE!!!!!!!????????


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